We are rapidly moving towards a sustainable world, limiting and offsetting our greenhouse emissions to achieve a net-zero carbon future. If we can accomplish this net-zero goal, then we will go a long way towards halting and reversing human-made climate change and enjoying a sustainable world for all.
It can all sound a little bit daunting for individuals, though. What can I do? How can I make a difference? Fortunately, there are plenty of small things that you can do that will make a big difference, including:
Get yourself a Smart Energy Monitor
The first step towards reducing your energy usage and carbon footprint is getting a metric on how much power you are using. The Powerpal Smart Energy Monitor allows you to plug in the device and monitor your energy usage in real-time on any smart device like your phone or tablet.
This monitor connects your smartphone with your electricity metre and will give you every metric you need to drill down your power bills. It also builds a profile around your behaviours and offers advice on how you can quickly reduce your energy usage.
Switch to LED lighting
If you are still using old school incandescent lighting, then you are wasting a lot of money. These LED bulbs use 75 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs, and you can drive that usage down even further in low power modes. These LED options also last up to 25 times longer than your old bulbs, which means you will save money on replacements, and it will also mean less landfill, which is a win-win.
Take better care of your car
We all know that we have to regularly service and maintain our cars, but sometimes we can let it lapse. This is not only bad for the life of your vehicle, but it is also going to cause it to run poorly, which leads to more emissions.
You don’t need to spend a fortune, ensure that your regular services are met, that you drive efficiently without being too heavy on the brake or accelerator, check your tyre pressure regularly and avoid over-using the air-conditioning.
Try to eat a little bit less meat
You don’t have to go vegan or vegetarian, but every bit of red meat that you forgo will be good for the environment. Did you know that livestock emissions make up 10 per cent of all of our greenhouse emissions? That is set to rise along with our population as there are more mouths to feed.
Try to consume smaller portions of red meat, have more meals of fish and even have a go at Meat Free Monday; you will find that veggies can taste good and be good for you.
Take shorter showers
Every minute you spend in the shower uses about 10 litres of water — each of those litres of water results in about 85g of carbon dioxide. If you can shorten your shower by just 2 minutes, you will save about 31kg in carbon every year. If everyone in a family of four does it, you are looking at over 120kg of emissions saved.
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