I calculated my carbon footprint and I was surprised. Am I really above average for my CO2 emissions? After reading careful advice and switching my habits my footprint shrunk and over time I have become increasingly green. We are being told more frequently that we should reduce our carbon emissions and our carbon footprints but in real terms what does this mean? There are a number of simple everyday things which you can do to combat your emissions and start living a greener life. Switching off your electrical goods from standby, switching off lights when you are not in the room and buying energy efficient appliances are just some of the contributing factors we can easily change.
When buying new appliances it should be at the forefront of your mind to buy one with a better energy rating. Manufacturers have caught up with consumers green demands and now nearly every appliance out there has been designed to help you act on CO2. Let's explore refrigerators. Being logical, these appliances are by far one of the hardest working in your home, being used 24/7 to chill your foods, so of course you need to consider the environment when making this type of purchase. It is not just the planet which benefits, your bills will see the difference also! If everyone in the UK were to switch to more energy efficient appliances then the saving would be in the region of 800 million, so just imagine if we all played our part in achieving that! Also, entertainment equipment switched from standby to off will save 37* a year, energy is frequently wasted though people leaving equipment on stand by. Remember to unplug chargers, this can be a real waste of energy and is a simple task which we all can remember to do.
The government is well aware that carbon emissions are an increasing concern, which is why we are all being encouraged to act on CO2. An energy rating is awarded to appliances on the scale A-G. A being the most efficient, G being the least, G rated appliances are rarely seen now. Refrigerators can be awarded up to an A+ energy rating, most shoppers now as well as having dimensions, colour and style in mind when choosing a new refrigerator, head straight for A and A+ rated models. We are all so aware of the impact we are having on the environment that it makes perfect sense to start with the items we use everyday and like I mentioned before, fridges don't take a break! An A+ or A rated washing machine will save around 35kg of CO2 a year compared to a less efficient model, also remember to wash full loads on an energy efficient setting as this will all help to reduce bills as well as CO2 emissions.
Apart from choosing a more energy efficient model there are other elements to consider when looking to act on CO2. You should only open your fridge when necessary and remember that keeping it open for a longer period of time will waste energy. A fuller fridge is a happy fridge, the more you have stored inside the appliance the less energy will be required to keep the fridge cool. It is not only washing machines and fridges which benefit from being fuller, if you fill your dishwasher as much as you can before you start a cycle this will help reduce CO2, in addition to this - always run a cycle on a more energy efficient setting. Make sure you defrost your fridge regularly, this prevents build up of any ice and will mean your refrigerator is running more efficiently - look out for refrigerators which have an auto defrost feature saving you time and energy.
Here is another energy saving tip. When your television first arrives at your house the settings for brightness and contrast are always really bright, this is for showroom purposes - not living room. Therefore, turn the brightness down and you can save up to 15%** energy. Quite a lot for just adjusting a simple setting! Believe it or not this will improve picture quality and make viewing your television more enjoyable. Alternatively, you could switch off the TV altogether and read a book, play a game or try something different - have fun while reducing that footprint!
Another fact which should be thought about. Nearly 25%** of car journeys are less then 2 miles in distance and cars consume most fuel at the start of their journey. How many times do we drive to the local shops or to our friends for a coffee? Too many times! Not only would walking reduce CO2 emissions but walking a short distance daily can start to improve fitness levels - a win win situation.
We all want to do our bit, perhaps it is best to start off small and then really get into the swing of living a greener life. So tonight when you go to bed have a look around and make sure all the red standby lights are not staring back at you. And think of your poor old fridge, it isn't contributing to reducing your emissions if the energy rating is low so make sure that you consider an investment for your future and find an efficient refrigerator which will help you to act on CO2.
References:
* energysavingtrust.co.uk
** Act on CO2
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