Did you know that the 6 – 12 July is Net Zero Week? It’s the UK’s national awareness week looking at how we can make changes to reduce the effects of climate change.
As part of Net Zero Week, we put together some small practical steps we can all take that can really help make improvements to the environment and let you live your best green life.
You can really save some energy during your morning routine
Take a shower instead of a bath - the average bath uses 80 litres of water, compared to a five minute shower which uses 75 litres. Just keep the shower singing to a minimum and avoid the epic ballads!
If you’re a fan of a morning brew, try filling the kettle up with the amount of water you need to reduce the boiling time. Measure out the amount using your mug and pour that into the empty kettle.
Once you’ve made your brekkie, turn off the kettle and toaster at the plug, plus any other appliances you’ve used once you’re finished with them.
You can take sustainable steps on your commute
Whether it’s going to work or dropping the kids off at school, how we get there can make a major difference to the environment.
Whenever possible, opt for things like walking, biking, carpooling or using public transport such as a bus or train which create lower carbon emissions than driving alone.
You can track the emissions from your daily commute using an online calculator such as this one from Ecohedge.
Lunchtime – eat green to be green
A lot of greenhouse emissions come from meat production in the food industry. By reducing the amount of meat and dairy we eat and adding more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains into our diet, we can significantly lower our carbon footprint.
You can find out more about the carbon footprint of your diet by searching online for the BBC’s climate change food calculator.
Working smart
We can do our bit at work as well, by doing things like recycling waste and reducing the number of pages we print.
Roughly 80% of the world’s plastic bottles end up in landfills – switching to a reusable water bottle or coffee cup can save 94.4 kg of CO2 a year per person.
For those who use a computer or any electronic devices, it’s best to shut them down when leaving the office to save energy overnight.
Shop smart
If you’re heading to the shops to pick up something for dinner, remember to bring your reusable bags – 160,000 plastic bags are consumed a second, and can cause pollution, even ending up in the ocean and killing wildlife.
Sustainable shopping – buying pre-owned clothes and furniture is an easy way to lower our carbon footprint and save money. We can also donate our own clothes and furniture or swap with friends instead of them going to waste.
When you’re making dinner avoid throwing out items that can be reused such as containers.
Make the most out of compost
You can make a compost bin and use it for items such as fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds and paper filters and grass clippings. Visit www.recyclenow.com/how-torecycle/home-composting for more information.
Recycle materials such as paper, glass and metal – recycling reduces the need for raw materials, energy and landfill space, which then helps lower carbon emissions. Many supermarkets now take soft plastics (such as crisp packets) and batteries that you can’t put in your recycling bin at home. These recycling bins are often found near the shop’s entrance. Find out more at www.recyclenow.com.
Consider getting a water butt for your garden – this is a great money saving way to collect rainwater that can be reused to keep plants watered or clean household or outdoor equipment.
Turn the lights off before bed
Before you go to bed, make sure to turn off all the lights in the house (unless you leave any on
for security) and unplug any items such as TVs, laptops and phones – most devices only take a few hours to charge, so leaving them on overnight uses up more energy than needed.
While it’s not always possible to take all these steps, even just doing a few can make a real difference.
How are you helping the environment?
Let us know what you’re doing to help the environment by emailing your tips to
communications@karbonhomes.co.uk
You can find out more about how we're playing our part in creating a sustainable environment for current and future generations over on Our Response to Climate Change page.
Did you know that the 6 – 12 July is Net Zero Week? It’s the UK’s national awareness week looking at how we can make changes to reduce the effects of climate change.
As part of Net Zero Week, we put together some small practical steps we can all take that can really help make improvements to the environment and let you live your best green life.
Take a shower instead of a bath - the average bath uses 80 litres of water, compared to a five minute shower which uses 75 litres. Just keep the shower singing to a minimum and avoid the epic ballads!
If you’re a fan of a morning brew, try filling the kettle up with the amount of water you need to reduce the boiling time. Measure out the amount using your mug and pour that into the empty kettle.
Once you’ve made your brekkie, turn off the kettle and toaster at the plug, plus any other appliances you’ve used once you’re finished with them.
Whether it’s going to work or dropping the kids off at school, how we get there can make a major difference to the environment.
Whenever possible, opt for things like walking, biking, carpooling or using public transport such as a bus or train which create lower carbon emissions than driving alone.
You can track the emissions from your daily commute using an online calculator such as this one from Ecohedge.
A lot of greenhouse emissions come from meat production in the food industry. By reducing the amount of meat and dairy we eat and adding more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains into our diet, we can significantly lower our carbon footprint.
You can find out more about the carbon footprint of your diet by searching online for the BBC’s climate change food calculator.
We can do our bit at work as well, by doing things like recycling waste and reducing the number of pages we print.
Roughly 80% of the world’s plastic bottles end up in landfills – switching to a reusable water bottle or coffee cup can save 94.4 kg of CO2 a year per person.
For those who use a computer or any electronic devices, it’s best to shut them down when leaving the office to save energy overnight.
If you’re heading to the shops to pick up something for dinner, remember to bring your reusable bags – 160,000 plastic bags are consumed a second, and can cause pollution, even ending up in the ocean and killing wildlife.
Sustainable shopping – buying pre-owned clothes and furniture is an easy way to lower our carbon footprint and save money. We can also donate our own clothes and furniture or swap with friends instead of them going to waste.
When you’re making dinner avoid throwing out items that can be reused such as containers.
You can make a compost bin and use it for items such as fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds and paper filters and grass clippings. Visit www.recyclenow.com/how-torecycle/home-composting for more information.
Recycle materials such as paper, glass and metal – recycling reduces the need for raw materials, energy and landfill space, which then helps lower carbon emissions. Many supermarkets now take soft plastics (such as crisp packets) and batteries that you can’t put in your recycling bin at home. These recycling bins are often found near the shop’s entrance. Find out more at www.recyclenow.com.
Consider getting a water butt for your garden – this is a great money saving way to collect rainwater that can be reused to keep plants watered or clean household or outdoor equipment.
Before you go to bed, make sure to turn off all the lights in the house (unless you leave any on
for security) and unplug any items such as TVs, laptops and phones – most devices only take a few hours to charge, so leaving them on overnight uses up more energy than needed.
While it’s not always possible to take all these steps, even just doing a few can make a real difference.
How are you helping the environment?
Let us know what you’re doing to help the environment by emailing your tips to
communications@karbonhomes.co.uk
You can find out more about how we're playing our part in creating a sustainable environment for current and future generations over on Our Response to Climate Change page.
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