Go Zero Carbon
It's official. Scientists have now confirmed that 2023 was the hottest year ever.
We must act now and commit to taking action in our daily lives to tackle the climate crisis. What changes can you make at home and at work to go zero carbon?
​
There are lots of resources and guides to help you make eco-friendly choices. Read the info and links below to find out more.
Electricity (5.5% of personal emissions)
Most of these emissions come from electrical appliances and lighting. This percentage will be higher where electricity is used for heating and hot water. As energy consumers, we can play an important part by using our purchasing power for good.
Personal
Business
-
‘Switch off’ when not in use
​
​
-
Buy the most efficient appliances possible​
​
-
Install smart systems to switch off zones not in use
​
-
Install solar panels
-
Switch to LED lighting
​
​
-
Install smart/sensor-based systems to switch off zones when not in use
​
-
Buy the most efficient equipment possible​
​
-
Install solar panels or wind turbines where practical
​
-
Create a green energy hub
Travel (20.4% of personal emissions)
This varies significantly from individual to individual, depending on the amount of car mileage and number of flights.
Heating (18.8% of personal emissions)
Personal
Business
-
Turn down thermostat (18-20°C)
​
-
Use zone heating​
​
-
Maximise building insulation
​
-
Install a heat pump where suitable
​
-
Switch to electric - self generated where possible
​
-
Adopt biofuels where available
-
Maximise building insulation
​
-
Maintain temperature at 18-20°C
​
-
Switch to electric, linked to self generated power
​
-
Investigate shared heat hubs
​
-
Adopt alternative renewable fuels as available where no option
Personal
-
Walk & cycle whenever possible
​
-
Use public transport where available
​
​
-
Switch to an electric vehicle (EV) if possible.
​
-
Fly less or not at all
Business
-
Develop a business Travel Plan
​
-
Introduce flexible & home working
​
-
Set up employee public transport incentives
​
-
Encourage employees to car share
​
-
Switch to sustainable fuelled fleet vehicles (EV, hydrogen)
​
-
Fly less and meet remotely
Personal consumption (54.7% of personal emissions)
This covers all of the goods and services we buy as consumers, from food and fashion to mobile phones and the networks that support them.
-
Learn to cook vegetarian food and eat less meat.
​
-
Fight food waste - download phone apps such as OLIO and Too Good to Go to rescue food from landfill.
​
-
Buy less – Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle.
​
-
Buy climate-friendly materials from local sustainable suppliers.
​​
-
Swap fast fashion for slow fashion - buy second hand.
​
-
Start plastic dieting - ditch single-use plastics for re-usables.
​
In the Workplace
For businesses it is the emissions that accumulate throughout the entire supply chain that are important - from sourcing of raw materials, through supply and storage to disposal - on top of those created during production and processing.
-
Switch to sustainable, local materials and suppliers
​
-
Invest in staff carbon literacy training
​
-
Re-purpose equipment and waste – Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle and compost.
​
-
Switch to sustainable packaging
​
-
Switch to ‘green’ web hosting options
​
-
Promote sustainable transport for commuting and business travel
Offsetting
The only way to become carbon neutral is to absorb and store those emissions we cannot eliminate but this should be no more than 10% of current emissions. We can do this at home and at work.
​
There are many offsetting schemes available - from the local Rotary Club's tree planting scheme, to international bodies.
Personal
​
​
-
Support nature preservation programmes
​
-
Contribute financially to approved offsetting schemes
​
-
Buy goods and services which include an offset surcharge in the price
Business
-
Manage available land to maximise carbon sequestration and conserve nature
​
​
-
Contribute financially to approved offsetting schemes
​
-
Include a carbon offset charge in pricing