Fossil fuels are the main source of energy for most of the world, but they also contribute to the climate crisis by emitting greenhouse gases that warm up the planet. As fossil fuel prices rise and affect our cost of living, we can take steps to reduce our dependence on them and save money and carbon at the same time.
In this blog, we will share some simple and easy ways you can cut your fossil fuel use and carbon emissions both at home and on the go. No matter how small, or how big, every step we take is a step in the right direction for our planet.
Cutting emissions at home
Heating is the biggest user of energy in our homes, and most people still heat their homes with gas or oil creating carbon emissions. Much of the world’s electricity supply is created by burning gas or coal so electricity creates even more carbon.
However, there are some quick ways to reduce energy use which, with rising prices, offers the benefit of saving money too.
Quick wins:
Turn off radiators in unused rooms saves fuel and money. If all radiators were turned off in all unused rooms across the globe, it would save enough energy to power millions of homes!
Take a shorter shower going from the average 8 minute shower in the UK to under 5 minutes every day makes a difference. Also if you always end up adding cold, just heat the water to a slightly lower temperature to save more energy.
Turn the lights off when you don’t need them saves energy and means light bulbs last longer too.
If you’re working from home, chances are you’ll need to heat part of your house in colder parts of the year. Check your working from home checklist to minimise energy use and costs.
For steps that will lead to biggest savings you can try any, or all of these planet savers:
Turn down heating even by just 1 degree will see a reduction in your fuel use immediately. Each degree can shave 5%, or more, off your fuel bill.
Use a smart meter to heat your home as efficiently as possible.
Green electricity this is one of the best big impact steps, as it can cut your electricity carbon footprint by 90%.
And as the weather heats up, opt for natural drying and ditch the tumble dryer. Tumble dryers are usually one of the most energy intensive appliances in your home so cutting back will not only save carbon, but also money. 1 hour of using the tumble dryer is the same as leaving an LED light on for 8 days!
Cutting emissions when travelling
Did you know 1% of the world’s population account for more than 50% of all emissions from flying? Whether we’re jetting off on holiday or taking a short haul flight for a work trip, every mile travelled by plane has an impact on the environment. By releasing water vapour high in the sky (the trails that you see after planes) the effect on the climate is doubled.
You might want to stop flying long haul, which will help cut emissions massively, or where possible, opt to take the train instead. These are big steps but currently there is no path to sustainable flying and offsets don’t solve the problem.
You can also save 20% more fuel from driving efficiently! Not only does this help cut carbon, but also cuts pollution and will save you money on fuel.
Many of us opt to drive by car for short journeys, so much so that 20% of trips that people take are less than a mile, or 1.5 km. So, why not try to walk or bike short distances instead? Or, depending on where you live, take advantage of public transport links.
And if you’re thinking of changing cars, now is a great time to go electric. You can save over £10,000 in the running costs over the life of a car by going electric, and it will drastically reduce your carbon emissions. Over the life of an EV you can save over 50 tonnes or carbon!
If this has inspired you to take steps to cut your carbon emissions, sign up to Giki Zero for free now and try your first step today.
