As our planet faces a climate crisis, becoming carbon neutral is an important step in reaching a solution.
Could you be cutting down your carbon emission? Do you use more than one appliance at once? Did you take a cab when you could have hopped on the bus?
Following these three steps will put you well on your way to becoming carbon neutral:
Burn calories, not petrol
In a fast-paced world, where everything appears instantly and nobody has time to wait around, it is much easier to jump in an Uber, or catch the tube to work. Neither solution will lower your footprint.
Today the variety of eco-transport solutions is almost infinite. With cars turning hybrid and electric, and more carbon emission-free buses, it might seem pointless to search for more alternatives.
Unfortunately, manufacturing such vehicles – and finding the resources to keep them going – ultimately outweighs all the positives. It would take two years of driving an electric car before fully offsetting the high-energy requirements for the manufacturing stage.
Which brings us to the easiest and cheapest solutions: riding a bike or walking.
In the UK alone, there are over 20 bike schemes that allow people who don’t already own one to get around whenever and wherever. Ofo, Santander, Mobike and Nextbike are amongst the most popular in the country. The schemes all work in the same way: download an app, link in some source of money and create an account – three simple steps to saving the environment while keeping fit.
Of course, the cheapest option by far is to put on a pair of trainers and power-walk to work. Not only do these options bring health benefits, but they may also allow you to explore parts of the city you’ve never seen before when taking alternative routes in the morning.
Keep it Local
Food waste from the home is the biggest contributor to landfill, which only raises your carbon footprint. By ensuring that you don’t over-buy products that will only end up in the bin – you are already cutting personal emissions down on your way to becoming carbon neutral.
If you find it difficult to predict just how many groceries you need, turn those leftovers into purposeful compost. Homemade compost is another step towards being more environmentally wary. You can use anything from stale bread to vegetable peelings, store them in an enclosed container, give it a few days, and you’ll be feeding your flowers for zero cost.
The final thing to remember is to buy produce as locally as possible. British supermarkets are lined with food from all corners of the globe, and while this is a luxury we shouldn’t take for granted, we shouldn’t overlook the additional burden on carbon emissions.
Since 1992, plane-flown food has risen by 140 per cent and in the UK this accounts for 11 per cent of carbon emissions. This food may also have to be carried in lorries – journeys that make up a further 25 per cent of carbon emissions. On top of this, to ensure the food is safe and undamaged, companies use masses of packaging. All of which could be avoided if we all acquired local produce.
Turn your home into an energy hub
Alongside the food and transport industries, our own homes are amongst the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide. These emissions could largely be avoided by small and simple everyday actions. Turning off the lights when exiting a room, unplugging appliances when they are not needed, and only using washing machines and dishwashers when they are fully loaded.
But we can do more than that.
An average UK household will emit 2.7 tonnes of CO2 every year from heating alone. Therefore, switching to a more renewable source of, such as solar panels, will drastically slash your footprint.
Finally, get rid of those old-fashioned tungsten light bulbs! LED lighting is much more energy efficient and will do your wallet a lot of good too.
Combining such actions with taking fewer baths, using washing machines at night when rates are lower, and switching off plugs will let you go to sleep at night knowing you’ve done your part in helping the planet.