Practical ways to reduce your carbon print
Small changes can have a big impact. Climate change is happening all around us and we need to start thinking about ways of reducing our carbon footprint and 'going green'.
In your home Although planes, offices and factories produce the vast majority of the country's CO2, as individuals we contribute 40% to the UKs total greenhouse gas emissions and two thirds of this comes from our boilers.
However, you can reduce your CO2 emissions from heating by switching to an energy-efficient boiler. These high-efficiency condensing boilers use the heat that normally escapes through the flue to turn more water vapour back into water. This means as much heat as possible is transferred from the boiler's burner and as little as possible is lost through the exhaust flue.
Add a complete set of heating controls like timers and radiator thermostats we can reduce the amount of CO2 we produce as a country by 1.4million tones and save over £275 a year.
British Gas is helping you on your way to becoming 'green' by offering £825 worth of discounts on replacing your old boiler for a new energy efficient one to. If you buy and new or replacement boiler by 25 July you'll get £400 off the boiler, free home care for a year and free radiator and controls installation.
It is also important to get the proper insulation as half of all heat loss is through the roof and walls. This will save you around £365 on your heating bills because you won't need so much heat and you'll also get a tax rebate of £125.
Out and about Transport is the biggest offender to global warming. We can make a big impact if we reduce our car usage. Walk or cycle on short journeys, and when in cities make use of the much better public transport facilities.
Plus it's not just how often we drive it is the manner in which we drive. By less hard use of the accelerator and the brake you could make your fuel go a lot further, reducing your emissions and saving you around £200 a year.
At the shops Always buy energy efficient light bulbs. They last on average 12 years longer than standard bulbs and you could save around £100 over their lifetime.
Buy recycled products and remember to reuse your shopping bags. Make sure food packaging also comes from a sustainable forest and is recyclable or has already been recycled.
About the Author:
British Gas is not just a gas supplier. They can also provide you with a greener electricity supply and even help you to upgrade to a more eco friendly heating system.
