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Many of the pressures on Scotland’s environment cannot be controlled by government or regulations but action by individuals and communities also is important. If we each reduce our own carbon footprint, we can make a real impact on reducing climate change.
Calculate your carbon footprint here www.bestfootforward.com/footprintlife_scotland.htm
At Home
Green energy tariffs source power from renewable and sustainable sources, and can actually save you money. For information about switching to a green energy tariff visit: www.greenelectricity.org
There are also a number of quick and affordable changes you can make to your home, which will save you both energy and money instantly:
- Modern day detergents work just as effectively at lower temperatures. Opt for a 40°C wash cycle rather than 60°C and use a third less electricity.
- Replace your old fridge freezer with an energy efficient version and save £45 a year.
- Only boil as much water as you need. Boiling a full kettle for just one cup of tea will generate up to eight times more carbon dioxide emissions.
- Switch off all appliances when not in use. The average household wastes £37 a year by leaving appliances on standby. Mobile phone chargers left plugged in waste over £60 million across the UK, accounting for a quarter of a million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
- Use energy efficient light bulbs and cut energy wastage by over ¾. They also last 12 times longer than standard bulbs, saving you money.
- Insulation is the key to keeping your house warm. In the average house, some 30 % of heat simply escapes through the walls. Invest in cavity wall insulation and reduce your heating bill by £125 per year. Turn your thermostat down just 1°C and save a further 10% on your bills.
For more information and advice visit:
The Energy Saving Trust at www.est.org.uk/myhome
The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative
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At Work
Environmental choices make good business sense too, for more information visit:
www.sepa.org.uk/wastemin/index.htm
www.netregs.gov.uk
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Waste
Rethink your rubbish - reduce, reuse or recycle it, instead of throwing it in the bin.
For more information, visit:
Waste Aware Scotland www.sort-it.org.uk
The Paint reuse scheme www.communityrepaint.org.uk
Charted Institute of Waste Management www.ciwm.co.uk
Waste Online www.wasteonline.org.uk
The Recyled Products Guide www.recycledproducts.org.uk
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Local environment
Community projects are a great way to actively get involved, visit:
www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces
www.communitywebnet.org.uk
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Shopping
Buy locally produced food that is seasonal and organic, and you’ll help reduce the environmental impact of transporting food (via air travel and shipping) from across the globe.
www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk
www.soilassociationscotland.org
www.fairtrade.org.uk
www.whyorganic.org
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Gardening
Grow your own vegetables! Not only will they be pesticide free but they will eliminate the need for transportation and packaging. If you don’t have a garden then you could use window boxes or get an allotment. Composting kitchen and garden waste will also benefit the environment, as well as improve the quality of your soil.
www.recyclenow.com/home_composting
www.gardenorganic.org.uk
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Travelling
In Scotland, 70% of all journeys to work are by car. 80% of these are single occupancy. SEPA runs a car share scheme for all staff, helping to cut travel costs as well as car pollutants. Whether it be walking, cycling, using public transport or sharing a car, the changes you make to get from A to B will make a significant contribution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
For more information, visit:
The campaign for sustainable transport in Scotland www.transformscotland.org.uk.
Sustainable transport charity Sustrans www.sustrans.org.uk
The UK’s national cyclist’s organisation www.ctc.org.uk
The Lothian Cycle Campaign www.spokes.org.uk
Buying a new car? Find out about cars that run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is cleaner for the environment and can cut your fuel bills by as much as 50%.
Visit www.lpg-vehicles.co.uk and www.autogasonestop.com
For information on electric cars, hybrids, and converting your existing vehicle, visit:
www.evuk.co.uk
www.goingreen.co.uk
www.eta.co.uk
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Holidays
Air transport is now thought to be one of the fastest growing contributing factors to global warming. Try holidaying closer to home; there are hundreds of places of beauty and culture to visit both in the UK and Europe and you’ll make a huge saving to your own carbon footprint.
For ideas, visit:
The International Tourism Society www.ecotourism.org
Tourism Concern www.tourismconcern.org.uk
Earth Watch Institute www.earthwatch.org
Scotland’s Sustainable Tourism Unit www.greentourism.org.uk
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Carbon offsetting schemes
SEPA believes that carbon offsetting should be considered as a last resort in carbon management and is only useful in situations where emissions are unavoidable.
The current voluntary offsetting market is developing very quickly and presents a great deal of inconsistency and confusion. The UK Government’s proposed code will help to provide confidence, consistency and transparency, but SEPA believes that any emissions offsetting should be set within an overall hierarchy of emission reduction measures managed by Government.
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