As a New Year and new decade commences, many of us, myself included will be thinking of change and how we can strive to do that little bit more towards reducing our carbon footprint.
Over the past few years, we’ve tried to incorporate as many affordable changes as possible at home with extra insulation, switching to a green electricity supplier and changing our heating to a new multistove wood burner having the biggest impact on our carbon footprint.
Some of the changes we made were expensive and some of them cost nothing at all apart from a few minutes of my time online. Whatever your budget is for ‘green living’ in 2010, we can all choose to make a difference every week over the coming year with small, lifestyle changes that cost nothing but all add up to make a big difference.
If you need help kick-starting your year into positive action, check out my website recommendations below and if you have any further useful suggestions, drop us a comment at the end.
Here’s wishing everyone a happy, healthy and sustainable 2010!
- Sign up to a green electricity supplier or green tariff. It takes a matter of minutes and is one of the single biggest things you can do to improve your carbon footprint in 2010. Green Electricity Marketplace allows you to compare tariffs for your particular postcode to get the best deal.
- If you eat meat, try to cut down and go meat free one day a week. Meat Free Mondays is a site dedicated to helping people have at least one day a week totally free of meat.
- Petrol is reportedly going up by 15p a litre in 2010. If you drive, try a low car diet by joining up to the ranks of Liftshare.
- If you can’t avoid using the car then check out these Eco Driving Tips from the AA. Simple things like ensuring your tyre pressure is correct will help ensure you are driving efficiently and could save you more than 10% on your fuel bill.
- Sign up to a green newsletter. Websites like The Nag and Friends of the Earth Daily Tip will keep you informed and inspired to take action throughout the year.
- Think about sourcing more food locally, supporting local business and reducing the transport miles of your food. The 100 Mile Diet includes 12 Reasons for Eating Locally and the Big Barn is the UK’s no.1 local food website, helping people to find good, safe, accountable food from local sources.
- Give your home an energy check up with the Energy Savings Trust and you could save up to £300 in 2010.
- Did Santa bring you a new mobile for Xmas? If so, make sure the old one does’nt end up in landfill this January. Envirofone is just one of many websites which allow you to trade in your old mobile phones for cash, saving you money and just as importantly avoiding landfill.
In addition to learning a few good eco-driving tips at AA’s site, create a free account over at http://www.FuelClinic.com and join the growing community of eco-drivers who monitor and work to improve their own driving efficiency.