The goal for a lot of people is to reduce their carbon footprint. It would be great if we could all live zero waste and neutral carbon footprint but I understand for so many people, me included it’s just not possible. This is why I’m always looking for new ways to reduce carbon footprints wherever possible.
There are a load of ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint and that’s why I thought it would be ideal to list some of them. It can’t always be easy if you have no idea what you’re getting, there’s so much misinformation out there which is just confusing so I’m going to tell you what I do that actually works and makes a difference!
So if you came here to find ways to reduce your carbon footprint, you came to the right place! Take a look at the easy list below and find ways you can manage your carbon footprint today!
Swap – Reduce your carbon footprint by swapping to plastic free shampoo bars and conditioner bars.
The first way I suggest people can reduce their carbon footprint is to swap. It might sound a little silly but a little swap can make a huge difference. When I was looking at lowering my carbon footprint I found that swapping everyday items that I use could have a huge impact.
I used to buy two bottles every month, one would be shampoo and the other conditioner. They would be single use plastic bottles and most of the time I wouldn’t be able to recycle them. I find companies that produce single use plastic to be so outdated, they need to get with the times.
If you haven’t already, I would consider using a shampoo bar, they also have conditioner bars and you can literally buy these everywhere now. They might cost a little more but you’re having a huge impact on the planet and reducing your carbon footprint easily. Check out these shampoo bars from Amazon!
Walk or Cycle! – Walk and cycle more places and ditch your car!
It makes sense, to use your car less and stop using fuel. You’ll lower your carbon footprint the most if you use your car less. I understand that some cars are low emission or now electric but I still think every little help’s. At the end of the day, cars need to be repaired, which means more dead parts end up in landfills, one way to avoid this is using the car less.
This is one of the most suggested ways how a person can reduce their carbon footprint. You might think it’s overused but it’s true if you need to nip to the shops for a couple of bits, walk instead? If you’re a little put off with walking, use headphones to spice it up or play Pokemon Go, that’s what I do!
If you want to reduce your carbon footprint for long journeys, it might not be as cheap but you could think about taking the train or car sharing instead of jumping in your car and only using that. However that one is down to cost, trains are not cheap!
Buy Second Hand – Use Charity Shops and Second Hand Stores, Try eBay!
Fast fashion, the latest gadget or even a brand new book. They all contribute to a bigger carbon footprint. One thing I’m doing from now on is checking charity shops for books that I would normally go to Amazon for straight away. I’m also looking on eBay for clothes or other items that I may need.
Buying second hand or from charity shops doesn’t mean the quality is less, it just means something is being saved and not ending up in the bin. This is one of the easiest ways to lower your carbon footprint and the best part is you’ll save money because it’s cheaper than buying something brand new!
It doesn’t matter if you prefer to shop online or in an actual shop, you can still buy like-new items and make a difference. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, try being a little savvier with your money and where you spend it!
Switch Energy Providers
This one is pretty straight forward although it might not be for everyone. At the moment I rent a property which means I have no control over the energy provider that is being used. However, if you do have a say over the energy provider that you use, it might be worth looking to swap.
You can switch to an energy provider that is low-carbon energy providing. This way you’re not doing anything to lower your carbon footprint but the company you have chosen is. Depending on the energy provider that you find you might even save a little money in the process, so be sure to check that out!
Eat Less Meat – Swap to vegetarian or vegan meals
I’m not saying you have to become vegan or vegetarian in a day because that’s just not going to be possible. However, there are alternatives that you can start putting into practice if you really want to cut down your carbon footprint. Most people don’t believe it but eating meat or animal products can have a huge impact on a persons carbon footprint.
Making the switch to one vegan or vegetarian meal a week can have a huge difference and that’s exactly what I’m doing. I have also made a conscious effort to cut out dairy in my diet. It doesn’t agree with me personally but it also helps in helping a person become carbon neutral!
If you’re looking for some yummy vegan or vegetarian meals I’d suggest checking out this vegan apple crumble recipe for a yummy, easy to make dessert. You could also have this easy to make Slimming World Roasted Vegetables Pasta Bake recipe for dinner one night!
Keep your energy consumption down!
When you’re leaving the house do you go round and turn your plug sockets off? Do you make sure the TV isn’t on standby and is actually turned off? Do you have a computer that is on all the time unless you have a power cut? That contributes towards your carbon footprint.
If you go round and turn plugs off and TV’s off standby when you leave the house your carbon footprint will be lower. At the same time if you make sure the hot water or heating is off while you’re out you’ll be doing even more to lower your carbon footprint.
Think about installing a smart meter or a smart thermostat that you can use on your phone. This way you can make sure your heating is off when you aren’t home and do your bit to save the planet.
Smaller Other Ways To Cut Your Carbon Footprint
There are also smaller ways that you can contribute and use to lower your carbon footprint. The ways I’ve suggested above have a huge impact on the environment sure but they can also be difficult to do and not achievable for everyone. Below is a list of easier tasks that you can do.
- Reduce, reuse, recycle.
- Water the garden less, ditch sprinklers and hoses.
- Keep your home equipment maintained such getting a regular boiler check.
- Use a reusable drinking bottle, no more plastic water bottles.
- Ensure your car tires are properly inflated.
- Shop with eco concious and ethical businesses, check them out first.
Community Projects in Cutting Carbon Footprints
There will also be loads of community groups and charities in your area that help people cut their carbon footprint, think about taking a look. A great way to give back to the environment is joining in a litter picking community day out. It’ll reduce any carbon footprint you may make at home and help keep the community a litter free area.
Are there any ways that you reduce your carbon footprint that I haven’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to add them into the list and try them out myself. I’m always looking for new ways that I can work towards becoming carbon neutral.