What are CO2 and carbon?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the greenhouse gases which causes climate change. It is measured in kilograms and tonnes and is also often referred to simply as carbon.
What's a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is a measure of the contribution we make to climate change.
It refers to the CO2 (and sometimes other greenhouse gases) which are produced through our daily activities such as heating and powering our home and traveling.
It's not just individuals that have a carbon footprint - organisations, products and events all have a carbon footprint too.
Is there any financial help for insulating your loft?
Financial help is available to insulate your home through the government's Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), households receiving certain benefits are eligible for free loft and cavity wall insulation and other households can also get a discount of up to 50%. You can contact your local Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre (0800 512 012) to find out what help is on offer in your area. Have a look at the 'Living' section to find out more about some of the offers available for home insulation.
How thick should loft insulation be?
Even if you already have some loft insulation it is worth checking to see how much you have. Topping up your insulation from 50mm to 270mm - the recommended depth - could save another £60 a year on your heating bill and 300kg CO2. Loft insulation is easy to install - depending on the type of loft you have you can even do it yourself.
What is cavity wall insulation?
Homes lose up to a third of their heat through their walls if they have no insulation. Most homes built after the 1930s have cavity walls. These walls have two layers with a small gap in between which can be filled with insulation to reduce heat loss. Small holes are drilled into the wall from the outside and the insulation is inserted, and as the work is done from the outside there should be no mess or disruption to the inside of your home.
Homes built before the 1930s often have solid walls that leak even more heat than cavity walls. Solid walls can also be insulated, either internally or externally. Solid wall insulation is more expensive but it will also save more - around £400 a year on heating bills and over two tonnes of CO2. (According to the Energy Saving Trust solid wall insulation could save around 2.1 tonnes of CO2 a year for a three bedroom semi-detached house)
More information on insulation
What is the Energy Saving Recommended logo?
Look out for the Energy Saving Trust's Energy Saving Recommended logo. Established in 2000, the labeling scheme can be found on a range of products from fridge freezers to TVs and boilers.
The products awarded the logo are the best in their class for energy efficiency and must meet strict energy efficiency criteria. They are assessed by an independent panel and are reviewed annually so you can be confident of the energy efficiency credentials of products carrying the logo.
Visit the Energy Saving Trust's website to find out more
What does the A-G label on appliances mean?
Manufacturers and retailers in Europe must provide customers with information about the energy efficiency of large domestic appliances including fridges, freezers, tumble dryers, dishwashers and cookers.
The EU energy label rates each on a scale from A (most energy efficient) to G (least energy efficient).
As a result of advances in technology over recent years most new fridges and freezers score highly, so the A-G scale has been extended to include A+ (for appliances which are more efficient than A) and A++ (for the most efficient appliances).
Washing machines are awarded three letters e.g. AAB. The first letter refers to their energy efficiency, the second to wash performance and the third to spin dry performance.
The labelling scheme is currently being reviewed.
How can I recycle my old domestic appliances when I get new ones?
All retailers, including those online, offer to accept old appliances when you buy an equivalent item or provide information on a designated local site where the appliance can be properly processed.
Some retailers will charge to collect items, but there will be no cost for processing.
Check with your local authority, as many will remove old fridges and freezers for you for free.
What is smarter driving?
You can save between £200 and £250 a year (if you drive 12,000 miles a year) and cut your CO2 emissions by 15%, by making a few small changes to how you drive. Here are some simple tips to help you save money and CO2 while you drive:
- Slow down - not only is it safer but driving within the speed limit reduces the amount of fuel you use. You use up to 15% more fuel driving at 70mph than at 50mph. (Source: Act On CO2)
- Make sure your tyres are correctly inflated - driving with underinflated tyres creates more resistance so increases fuel consumption.
- Drive smoothly - sharp breaking and accelerating means you can burn up to a third more fuel.
- Take your foot off the accelerator - if you take your foot off the accelerator early when you're slowing down or going downhill it will save fuel.
- Drive from cold - today's cars don't need to have their engines warmed up - it just wastes fuel and can even lead to increased engine wear.
- Switch the engine off when you're stuck in traffic - if you're going to be at a standstill for more than a few minutes, turn the engine off so you don't waste fuel.
- Use your air-conditioning less - it can increase the amount of fuel you use by 8%. (Source: Shell)
- Don't carry anything you don't need - extra weight increases fuel consumption. For every extra 100 lbs (45 kg) you are carrying, the fuel efficiency of your car can drop by 1-2%. (Source: Shell)
- Remove your roof rack - accessories like roof racks and bike carriers create drag and reduce fuel efficiency by up to 5%, so take them off if you're not using them.