Sustainability and eco-friendly living are now becoming much more of a necessity, rather than a simple choice, and as such, it is every single UK citizen to work towards a drastic reduction in their personal carbon footprint and, as a result, protect this small island for future generations and wildlife.
So, with this in mind, here is how to reduce your personal carbon footprint, starting today!
When You Commute to Work
Car emissions are a serious contributor to air pollution, both in this country and abroad. Even though there are often various government initiatives to encourage people to leave their vehicles at home, practicality often means this is simply not an option.
Instead, then, next time you are due to change your car, then you should consider purchasing a hybrid or even entirely electric, vehicle, which will afford you the following advantages:
- Electric vehicles are monumentally better for the environment
- Electric vehicles cost substantially less in upkeep and maintenance
- Most suppliers offer perks and incentives for electric cars
- Electric cars make almost no noise
- Some newer electric cars can now virtually outperform petrol vehicles
When You Prepare Dinner
A simpler way of reducing your carbon footprint simultaneously supporting local businesses, and generally being a productive member of the community (not to mention heightened levels of physical health) is to change your shopping habits.
Try to reduce the amount of red meat you and your family consume and instead consume more vegetables, fruit, beans, and grains. Additionally, try to buy organic foodstuffs wherever possible and, most importantly, pledge never again to waste any food.
If you do have leftover food at the end of the week and what you have is simply not suitable for donating to a food bank, start composting all organic waste in the garden, which will have the benefit of encouraging animal visitors to the garden.
When You Redecorate
Now, you do not intend to regularly redecorate your home, making more and more sustainable choices and installing environmentally friendly substitutes every time.
However, the natural cycle of redecorating one room once the furnishings have become tired, the bold and daring color schemes have become outdated, and the room generally deserves some tender loving care means that slowly but surely, sustainable replacements are viable.
One excellent example is the change from laminate flooring or carpet to high-quality, durable, strong, low-maintenance, aesthetically impressive, and entirely sustainable natural stone flooring from a trusted supplier such as mystonefloor.com.
When You Head to Bed
Finally, but no less important than the other points on the list, you should also be mindful of the energy you and your family use in terms of the gas, water, and electricity to your home.
Make the effort to ensure every single light bulb throughout the property is energy efficient, turn off appliances at the plug socket, switch to a low-flow showerhead, and ensure any new appliances or products are Energy Star registered.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Olivia Poglianich
Content Strategist
Olivia Poglianich is a nomadic brand strategist and copywriter in the wooden crafts and 3D product design space who has worked with brands such as Visa, Disney and Grey Goose. Her writing has taken her all over the world, from a Serbian music festival to a Malaysian art and culture event. Olivia is a graduate of Cornell University and is often writing or reading about travel, hospitality, the start-up ecosystem or career coaching. Her latest interests are at the intersection of web3 and communal living, both on and offline.
