HCR Tips To Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

There are lots of ways you can help reduce your carbon footprint ANDsave yourself some money at the same time! Below are some FREE andeasy ways to reduce your carbon footprint:

• Only use the heat and light appliances you really need - don't leave TVsor videos on standby. Also switch off your PC screen and printer whenthey're not being used! This can save you hundreds of kilos of CO2 peryear.

• Try turning your heating thermostat down by 1 or 2 degrees. You willprobably hardly notice the difference and it will save about £10 a year.

• Keeping furniture away from radiators can also help - the foam in anupholstered chair is a very effective heat insulator! You'll find this cansave you several hundred kilos of CO2 per year.

• When cooking, choose the right pan size for the food and the cooker, cutfood into smaller pieces and put lids on pans as the food will then cook alot quicker. If you are defrosting food, or just warming things up, thenmicrowave ovens are ideal as they use much less electricity thanconventional ovens.

• Try to have full loads when using the washing machine and use thelower 40°C wash. With today's washing powders this temperature is morethan adequate to clean clothes and will save you up to three quarters ofthe cost of the hottest cycle. Washing your clothes in cold water or warmwater can save 200kg of CO2 per year)

• Change a light - replacing 1 regular light bulb with a compactfluorescent (energy saving) bulb saves around (60kg) of carbon a year aswell as saving around £10 per year on your electricity bill.

• Drive less - save one pound (0.5kg) of carbon for every mile you DON'Tdrive

• Check your tyres - keeping you car tyres inflated to the correct pressurecan improve your MPG by up to 3%. Every gallon of petrol saved keepsaround 9 kg of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

• Use less hot water less - it takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use lesshot water by installing a low-flow shower head. (150kg CO2 saved peryear)