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In an age when many are feeling the effects of climate change, people everywhere are doing what they can to reduce their strain on the environment. There are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint, from the way you insulate your home to energy saving LED lighting. In this article, we’ll explore what carbon footprints are and how you can do your part to limit yours.
What Are Carbon Emissions and What Is Carbon Footprint?
Carbon emissions are gases that are released into the environment. Particularly, these are greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. Such gases come from a number of sources, including:
- Electricity production
- Transportation
- Industry
- Land use and forestry
- Agriculture
- Commercial and residential
When these gases are released, they do so to the detriment of our environment. A carbon footprint refers to the total 2oC amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the world based on the actions of humans.
Each person has a carbon footprint that they are responsible for. Globally, the average amount of carbon emissions a person generates is around four tons. In order to have a shot at avoiding a devastating rise in temperatures on Earth, it is said that carbon footprints need to be, on average, under two tons no later than 2050.
How Do Carbon Emissions Affect the Environment?
Carbon emissions have a significant impact on the planet, as they are the greenhouse gases that have the highest amount of emissions each year. The result is global warming, and eventually, climate change, which we are already beginning to see.
There are many specific ways that carbon emissions can directly impact the Earth. For example, NASA states that the increasing levels of carbon dioxide can hurt crops by generating imbalances in carbon and nitrogen and reducing the necessary nutrients in crops, such as zinc, iron and protein.
Climate change is the broad-sweeping consequence and is maybe the most important result. While the global temperatures creep up, the climate begins to change. This results in extreme weather like heat waves, severe droughts, wildfires, tropical storms and an increase in all of the above. Climate change is as bad for plants as it is for people and animals. Air pollution can cause respiratory issues in humans, for instance.
What Can Governments Do To Reduce Carbon Emissions?
Though every person is responsible for their individual carbon footprint, this does not mean that it should entirely fall on the individual to stop climate change. Governments throughout the world can and should also play a part in this effort. They can do so in many ways:
- Improve energy efficiency by reducing the amount of energy that people have to use, such as pushing more fuel efficient vehicles and sealing energy leaks in houses
- Prevent forest loss to reduce carbon emissions by way of plants that eat up carbon dioxide
- Speed up the development and implementation of technology that uses low emissions
- Using alternative energy sources such as water, wind and biomass
- Create more flexible fuels like hydrogen fuel cell technology to better store energy from wind and sun sources
- Get rid of high carbon coal and replace it with low carbon gas
As it stands, the government is currently doing some things to help reduce these emissions:
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that takes climate change into consideration and commits nations such as the UK to get climate change under control through urgent approaches to the issue.
EU Emissions Trading Scheme
This policy is meant to fight climate change by way of cost-effective greenhouse gas reduction. It aims to place a cap on the amount of certain greenhouse gases that are allowed to be produced.
Climate Change Act 2008
This act was implemented to ensure that the reduction of carbon emissions could be legally assured. It also holds the government responsible for the preparation of climate change and is reviewed once every five years to see what needs to be altered.
How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint in Your Home
If everyone plays their part and does their best to reduce their carbon footprint, it could make a massive difference in the trajectory of climate change and global warming. There are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint, whether while travelling, at school, working or at home. Reducing your carbon footprint can be achieved by eating fewer animal products, travelling smarter, reducing waste and opting for more energy-efficient appliances and inside lighting in your home.
Insulating your home properly, draught proofing, and using energy saving lighting are three of the easiest and most important ways to fix your carbon footprint at home.
Why Insulating Your Home Reduces Your Carbon Footprint
At first glance, it may seem like insulation couldn’t possibly make that big of a difference, but that’s untrue. Properly insulating your home can decrease the amount of fuel that is needed to heat it. This in turn reduces the carbon emissions thereof. Insulating your home is important for a few specific reasons as well:
- NET ZERO TARGET. Currently, the UK has a legally binding goal to reduce its amount of carbon emissions. The goal is to reduce 100 percent of the emissions output in 1990 by the year 2050. This is called the net zero target. Insulating your home can help the nation reach that goal.
- CARBON BUDGETS. The UK has carbon budgets that are set every five years. This is a restriction on the total level of greenhouse gases that the UK can emit legally.
- YOUR SPECIFIC CARBON FOOTPRINT. By reducing the amount of energy used in homes, you can reduce one of your largest sources of carbon emissions. In the UK, the majority of the energy that is used in homes is for space heating. With good insulation, you won’t be losing as much heat through your walls, floors and roofs, so you will need less energy to heat the space.
Why You Should Upgrade Your Heating System To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Since heating plays such a massive role in energy consumption, it’s worth considering an upgrade if your heat system is not up to par. If it isn’t, you should think about replacing the heating system altogether. Replacing the heating system provides you with an exceptional opportunity to significantly reduce carbon emissions, all while saving big on energy bills.
The first thing you can do is consider switching from gas or oil to a renewable heating system. This can be either an air source or a ground source heat pump. Heat pumps get their power through electricity and therefore are much more efficient than those that use gas. Since the carbon content of electricity in the UK has dramatically reduced over the last few years, heat pumps are an excellent choice for lowering carbon emissions.
What Is a Ground Source Heat Pump?
A ground source heat pump is a type of renewable heating that uses low temperature solar energy, which has been stored in water or in the ground. It travels through pipework that is buried in the ground and is then compressed into a higher temperature to heat structures. It can give a building 100 percent of its hot water and heating throughout the entire year. Ground source heat pumps are more efficient than air source heat pumps as well, as the ground temperature in the UK stays around 8oC to 12oC. The air, on the other hand, is much cooler—especially during evenings and mornings when heating is needed.
Why Draught Proofing Your Home Helps To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Draught proofing your home means sealing gaps and holes in the house that allows cold air to pass through it. This is done while still ensuring there is proper fresh air and ventilation. Gaps are commonly present in areas like doors and windows and even cracks in skirting boards. By fixing up these areas, you can reduce energy consumption by increasing your energy efficiency.
Other common areas where draught proofing may be needed include:
- Floorboards
- Loft hatches
- Letterboxes
- Windows
- Doors
- Keyholes
- Chimneys and fireplaces
Benefits of Draught Proofing
- Increases energy efficiency in the home to reduce heat loss, as the heating system won’t have to work as hard to heat and retain heat in a space
- Lowers the cost of your energy bills, as the heating system won’t have to work as hard, meaning less energy is used
- Lowers your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of energy you are using daily
- Easy and cheap to install
- Increases the value of your home, as potential buyers are likely to want energy efficient spaces
Draught-Proofing Methods
- Seal gaps with weatherproofing tape, flexible sealant, compression threshold strips and draught excluders
- Thermal curtains and blinds
- Chimney caps
- Keyhole covers
- Rugs and carpets with underlay
Why Energy Saving LED Lighting Is Important To Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
LED lighting is another easy fix to a difficult problem. Low energy lighting provided by LED lights means you are significantly reducing the amount of energy used to light your home. By switching your traditional bulbs to low energy lights, you can bring plenty of energy efficiency into your home lighting.
You can use LED wall lighting such as wall sconces, ambient illumination such as ceiling lighting, task lighting like reading lights and other types of indoor lighting. Effectively, you could replace every single bulb in your home and begin reaping the benefits while protecting the environment.
LED lighting uses 80 percent less energy when you compare it to the typical bulb. This by itself is capable of reducing your carbon footprint, thanks to the smaller amount of fossil fuels that are used to make it. Using LED bulbs in your interior lighting will also save you money, as LED bulbs last more than 20 times longer than traditional bulbs. Since you won’t need to replace them as often, this will also reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the waste you produce. In fact, proper disposal of LED bulbs allows them to be recycled, which further reduces the impact on the environment.
Why Using Energy Efficient Appliances Is Important for Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Much like lighting, by using energy efficient appliances, you can significantly lower your carbon footprint. Below are a few of the main benefits of using energy efficient appliances:
- PREVENTS GREENHOUSE GASES. Greenhouse gases are the main cause of climate change. Fossil fuels that are burned to create electricity contribute to global warming, so the less electricity needed to power an appliance, the fewer fossil fuels can impact the environment.
- SAVES WATER. Conserving water is an easy way to lower your carbon footprint. Using energy efficient washing machines, dishwashers, humidifiers, freezers and other appliances that use water can make a huge difference.
- LOWERS EMISSIONS. By using less energy and electricity, they will naturally emit fewer greenhouse gases. This in turn lessens your carbon footprint.
Energy Saving LED Lighting Ideas
Below are some LED indoor lights you can consider when swapping your traditional fixtures for energy-efficient lighting.
The LWA387 5 Watt Hexagonal Interior LED Wall Lights are a great choice for modern homes with an emphasis on reducing carbon emissions. Their hexagonal shape and crisp white and black colour finishes make them exceptionally contemporary and artistic. Inside, they feature LED bulbs that output 400 lumens of 3000k warm white light, providing ample illumination at a fraction of the energy cost of traditional bulbs.
Reading lights such as the LWA298A 6+3 Watt LED Chrome Wall Mounted Bedside Reading Light is a great way to lower energy costs. By using a reading light in bed instead of running a brighter ambient light, you can use less electricity. This lamp comes with both an ambient light that shines through a lampshade and a bendy reading light arm. The reading light only has a brightness of 120 lumens, so it provides just enough light to see without being over the top.
Replacing your old ceiling lights with the stylish LSP706 12 Watt Adjustable Surface Mounted LED Downlight can help you save on energy. Each of these lights is particularly well suited for those who love the look of recessed lights but don’t have the proper ceiling depth for them. It sits flush on the ceiling and can be twisted and turned to shine in any given direction.
If you love the look of old-fashioned filament bulbs but still want to make the LED switch, the LPL350 4 Watt Beech Wood LED Pendant Light is a lovely option. It features a beechwood donut-shaped body from which a round bulb protrudes. It gives off that exposed bulb look of traditional lights while still providing the energy efficiency of LED light bulbs.
You can make energy saving decisions in every room of your house, including the bathroom. The LWA338 9 Watt LED Stainless Steel Bathroom Wall Light allows you to swap your heat-generating traditional vanity wall lights for a brilliant stainless steel fitting and LEDs. Lined up three in a row, the bulbs provide a nice wash of light over mirrors, perfect for getting ready for the day. The rounded shapes and silver backplate offer an Old Hollywood feel.
