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There’s a lot you can do - as a business or individual – straightaway to reduce your carbon footprint. Things you can start doing today to reduce your contribution to global warming. In most cases, it won’t cost you any money at all - and may in fact save you money. Let’s take a closer look…

There are plenty of small steps you can take to help reduce your carbon footprint. For example, turning electrical items off when not in use: lights, TV, DVD player, Hi Fi, computer and so on. You could also try turning down the hot water setting on your boiler – just 2 degrees can make a significant saving. And while you’re there, check your central heating settings too.

A recent TV advertising campaign encourages us to switch our washing machines from 40 to 30 degrees. Good advice, and it’s also worth filling your machine with a full load each time – it saves water, electricity and washing powder (and the same applies to your dishwasher).

Next time you make tea or coffee, check how much water you’re putting in the kettle. Try filling it with just enough water for what you need. Whilst you’re in the kitchen, take a look around you: when was the fridge / freezer last defrosted? If it was a while ago, chances are it’s using more energy than it needs to.

All the above are ‘free’ but there are some other simple steps you can take which, although a minimal investment may be incurred, will reward you later on. Try fitting energy-saving light bulbs. They’re not necessarily cheap, but will pay for themselves over the course of 1-4 years through savings on your energy bills.

The best contribution you can make is to sign up with a ‘green’ energy supplier, who will supply electricity from renewable sources (e.g. wind and hydroelectric power). This will effectively reduce your carbon footprint contribution from electricity to zero

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[ How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint ]

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