What Is A Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in
particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-
to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.
The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and
has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The pie chart above shows the main elements which

make up the total of an typical person's carbon footprint in the developed world.

A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint (shown by the
green slices of the pie chart) and the secondary footprint (shown as the yellow slices).

1. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of
fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane).
We have direct control of these.

2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole
lifecycle of products we use - those associated with their manufacture and eventual
breakdown. To put it very simply – the more we buy the more emissions will be caused on
our behalf.
 Climate Change

Global Warming
For Individuals

Here's a list of simple things you can do immediately

• Turn it off when not in use (lights, television, DVD player, Hi Fi, computer etc. etc. ...)
• Turn down the central heating slightly (try just 1 to 2 degrees C)
• Turn down the water heating setting (just 2 degrees will make a significant saving)
• Check the central heating timer setting - remember there is no point heating the house
after you have left for work
•
Global warming is the name given by scientists for the gradual increase in
Fill your dish washer and washing machine with a full load - this will save you water,
temperature
electricity, and of the Earth's surface that has worsened since the
washing powder
• Fill the kettle with only as muchindustrial
water as you revolution.
need
• Over the past two decades the effect has
Do your weekly shopping in a single trip become more marked. Considerable evidence
exists that most of this warming has been caused by human activities... that's to say we have
• Hang out the washing to dry rather than tumble drying it
altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through a buildup of greenhouse gases
• Sign up to a–green energy
primarily supplier,
carbon whomethane,
dioxide, will supply
andelectricity from renewable sources
nitrous oxide.
(e.g. wind and hydroelectric power) - this will reduce your carbon footprint contribution from
electricity
What if wetodo zero
nothing? Rising global temperatures will cause sea level to rise and alter local
climate conditions, affecting forests, crop yields, and water supplies. It may also affect
human health, animals, and many types of ecosystems. Deserts may expand and some of
our countryside may be permanently altered.
The following is a list of items that may take an initial investment, but should pay for
themselves over the course of 1-4 years through savings on your energy bills.

• Fit energy saving

What light
will bulbs
happen in the future if we do nothing?
• Install thermostatic valves on your radiators
• Climate model simulations predict an increase in average surface air temperature of
Insulate
• about 2.5°C by your hot water
the year tank, your loft
2100 (Kattenberg et and your walls
al., 1996).
•• Installing cavityofwall
The likelihood installation
"killer" heat waves during the warm season will increase (Karl et al.,
• 1997) By installing 180mm thick loft insulation
• Recycle
The IPCC your grey water
Second Assessment Report estimates that sea-levels will rise by
• approximately
Replace49 cmold
your over the next
fridge 100 (if
/ freezer years, with a
it is over 15range
yearsofold),
uncertainty of 20-86
with a new cm.energy
one with
• efficiency rating of
Sea-level "A"will lead to increased coastal flooding through direct inundation and an
rise
• increase in the base
Replace for storm
your old boiler surges,
with a newallowing
energy flooding of condensing
efficient larger areasboiler
and higher elevations.
• Further melting of the Arctic Ice Caps (at the current rate) could be sufficient to turn off
the ocean currents that drive the Gulf Stream, which keeps Britain up to 6°C warmer than it
would otherwise be.
Travel less and travel more carbon footprint friendly.

• Car share to work, or for the kids school run

• Use the bus or a train rather than Whatyourcan
car I do?
• For short journeys either walk or cycle
You have to go to work and we all like being consumers - but there are many ways you can
• Try
help. to reduce
Firstly, the number
you need of flights
to recognise howyou take
you personally impact global warming. Carbon
Seewill
• Footprint if your employer will allow you to work
show you how to minimise your impact from- home one
starting day-aand
today week
show you how to
• Next time you replace
makeyour
the car
right- check
productout diesel in
choices engines. With one of these you can
the future.
even make your own Biodiesel fuel.
• When staying in a hotel - turn the lights and air-conditioning off when you leave your
hotel room, and ask for your room towels to be washed every other day, rather than every
day
 As well as your primary carbon footprint, there is also a secondary footprint
that you cause through your buying habits.

• Don't buy bottled water if your tap water is safe to drink

• Buy local fruit and vegetables, or even try growing your own
• Buy foods that are in season locally
• Don't buy fresh fruit and vegetables which are out of season, they may have been
flown in
• Reduce your consumption of meat
• Try to only buy products made close to home (look out and avoid items that are made
in the distant lands)
• Buy organic produce
• Don't buy over packaged products
• Recycle as much as possible
• Think carefully about the type of activities you do in your spare time. Do any of these
cause an increase in carbon emissions? e.g. Saunas, Health clubs, restaurants and pubs,
go-karting etc. etc...

Green Energy

Renewable energy is clean, safe, and inexhaustible…

but it’s also vastly under-used. Currently UK suppliers are only required by law to buy green
energy as 3% of their total spend - that seems like lip-service to us, and we know we're not
alone...

• 60% of people surveyed in a recent BMRB poll said they consider pollution and
climate change the biggest environmental challenge we face.
• 82% believe reducing our use of fossil fuels is important.
• 32% would give up cigarettes to pay for a green tariff.
 Where does renewable energy come from?

If you switch to renewable energy it is most likely to be coming from Wind Power, or
Hydroelectric Power. Other sources include Solar Power and Wave and Tidal Energy.

There are also other largely untapped sources such as biomass, landfill gas energy and
combined heat and power (chp).

It is also possible to install Solar Water Heating and Small Wind Turbines on to your own
house.

So how do green energy tariffs work?

When you use electricity on a green energy tariff, the supplying company will put energy from
renewable sources back into the National Grid.

Green energy currently costs more to produce - however some suppliers do not charge a
premium, so green electricity shouldn't cost any more than you pay with your current
supplier. In fact, if you also transfer your gas supply to them it is likely to be cheaper.

The more people who sign up to green energy the cheaper it will become in the future, and
remember, many suppliers are already selling it as cheap or even cheaper than you may
currently be paying for your electricity.
Solar Water Heating
 Solar water heating systems use heat from the sun to heat water. The
technology is widely available and well developed.

The Solar Water heating systems can provide nearly all your hot water during the summer
months and about 50% all year round. The average domestic system can reduce you carbon
emissions by about 400kg per year.

For domestic hot water there are three main components: solar panels, a heat transfer
system, and a hot water cylinder. Solar panels - or collectors - are fitted to your roof. They
collect heat from the sun's radiation. The heat transfer system uses the collected heat to heat
water. A hot water cylinder stores the hot water that is heated during the day and supplies it
for use later. The panels work throughout daylight hours, even if the sky is overcast and
there is no direct sunshine.

A south facing roof is ideal for installation of a solar water heating system to ensure receiving
direct sunlight for the main part of the day. You may also need space to locate an additional
water cylinder.

The typical installation cost for a domestic flat plate collector system is £2,000 - £3,000.
Evacuated tube systems will cost £3,500 - £4,500. Grants are available for households in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland, from an organization called clearskies.

Solar water systems can also be used for larger applications such as heating a swimming
pool.
Wind Power
Wind Power can be used to generate electricity for your home using
commercially available wind turbines, specially designed for domestic
use.

The size of domestic wind turbines vary, but as a guide a typical domestic system is likely to
be in the region of 2.5 - 6 kilowatts.

The ideal site for a wind turbine is on the top of a hill away from other tall buildings, however
there are systems that have been designed specifically for more urban locations.

Wind Power systems can be installed in off grid locations (where the electricity grid is not
available) or where there is a grid connection. A special inverter and controller converts DC
electricity to AC at a quality and standard acceptable to the grid. For grid connected systems,
no battery storage is required, and any excess electricity can be exported to the grid and sold
to the local electricity supply company.

The cost of installing a wind turbine for your home is likely to cost in the region of £2,500 to
£5000 per kilowatt of electricity. Government grants are available in many areas to help with
the installation costs. In the UK, grants are available from an organization called clearskies,
who make available £1000 per kWe installed up to a maximum of £5000 to help with the
installation costs.

Small scale wind power is suitable for many homes, however depending on your location,
planning permission may be required from your local government / council authority, as
visual impact, noise and conservation issues have to be considered.
 Around Your home
Reduce heat loss in your home

The picture below illustrates some of the main causes of heat loss in a typical house and
provides some suggestions on how this can be reduced.

Through the roof - install loft insulation

Through windows - fit double Through walls - use cavity wall

glazing insulation

Through gaps around doors - fit Through the floor - fit carpet
draft excluders with underlay

Reduce energy usage in your home

Within your home try to:

• Reduce the use of electrical appliances

• When replacing appliances, try to buy appliances which use less power and have a
good energy rating
• Turn things off when not in use
• Replace standard light bulbs with their low energy equivalents
 Household Energy Consumption
The table below gives you an idea of which appliances in your household are contributing the
most to your carbon footprint. We have highlighted the low energy light bulb in red to show
you that it could save you £12 per year in electricity costs if used instead of a standard 100W
bulb.

The energy saving could therefore pay for the initial cost of replacing the bulb within the first
year, as well as reducing your carbon footprint.

Cost per kg CO2

Appliance Usage Per Use
year per year
Microwave 96 times 0.945 kWh per use( based on 1.39 kWh
£9.07 39
Oven per year for full power and 0.5 kWh for defrosting)
EU energy label A-rated gives an
Washing 187 washes
average consumption at 40°C using a £11.78 51
Machine per year
2kg load to be 0.63 kWh
2.50 kWh per cycle
Electric Tumble 148 uses
Based on an average load capacity of £37.00 159
Dryer per year
4.76 kg of dry laundry
Gas Tumble 148 uses * See
Based on a 4kg load £11.00
Dryer per year below
1542 uses 0.11 kWh per use based on heating 1
Kettle £16.90 73
per year Litre of water
135.1 uses
Gas Oven 1.52 kWh per use £7.60 38
per year
424 uses
Gas Hob 0.9 kWh per use £14.12 71
per year
135.1 uses
Electric Oven 1.56 kWh per use £21.08 91
per year
424 uses
Electric Hob 0.71 kWh per use £30.10 129
per year
Dishwasher at 110 uses
1.07 kWh per use £11.77 51
55°C per year
Dishwasher at 135 uses
1.44 kWh per use £19.44 84
65°C per year
Fridge-Freezer 24 hours a
206 kWh per year £20.60 89
A ++ spec day
Fridge-Freezer 24 hours a
270 kWh per year £27.00 116
A+ spec day
Fridge-Freezer 24 hours a
408 kWh per year £40.80 175
A spec day
Standard Light 4 hours a
100 W £14.60 63
Bulb day
Low Energy 4 hours a
18 W £2.63 11
Light Bulb day

*Gas driers are more carbon-efficient because they use a primary energy source. Click here to find out more on
the Crosslee website.

The table below compares the various types of televisions and digital adapters, including on standby mode.

Per Cost per kg CO2 per

Appliance Usage
use year year
On Power
Primary TV – CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) 198.5
6.5 hours a £47.09 203
34-37 inch W
day
Standby
Primary TV – CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) 17.5 hours a 4.2 W £2.68 12
day
On Power
211.1
Primary TV – LCD 34-37 inch 6.5 hours a £50.08 215
W
day
Standby
Primary TV – LCD 17.5 hours a 1.8 W £1.15 5
day
On Power
263.9
Primary TV - Plasma 34-37 inch 6.5 hours a £62.61 269
W
day
Standby
Primary TV - Plasma 17.5 hours a 3.6 W £2.30 10
day
On Power
192.3
Primary TV – Rear projection 34-37 inch 6.5 hours a £45.62 196
W
day
Standby
Primary TV – Rear projection 17.5 hours a 2.0 W £1.28 5
day
On Power
Digital TV Adapter, Terrestrial 6.5 hours a 7.1W £1.68 7
day
Standby
Digital TV Adapter, Terrestrial 17.5 hours a 6.4 W £4.09 18
day
On Power
Digital TV Adapter, Terrestrial –
6.5 hours a 17.6 W £4.18 18
Recorder
day
Digital TV Adapter, Terrestrial – Standby 11.3 W £7.22 31
Recorder 17.5 hours a
day
 Low Energy Light Bulbs

Low energy light bulbs use less than 20% of the energy of a conventional
light bulb, and can last up to 15 times longer.
Fitting Low Energy Light Bulbs is simple, helps the environment and should
reduce your lighting bills.

So what type of low energy bulb should you buy?

Both CFL light bulbs (low energy light bulbs) and LED light bulbs offer substantial energy
savings. LED bulbs offer the greater saving overall using less energy and lasting longer at
60,000 hours, however a greater initial investment is required. In addition alternative fittings
may be required and at present they only provide directional lighting.

With improvements in LED’s making them more and more viable, they will be the choice of
the future, but for now we would recommend choosing CFL bulbs. The energy savings are
still very good and although they have a lesser life span at 6,000-15,000 hours, they are
much cheaper and can directly replace your current bulbs which only last 1,000 hours,
helping the environment and your pocket straight away.

Will just swapping light bulbs make a difference?

By swapping a normal bulb to an energy saving bulb you could cut energy wastage by three
quarters and save £9 on your electricity bill. It might seem like a small change, but if every
home in the UK changed just 3 light bulbs, enough energy would be saved to light the UK’s
street lamps.

But don’t energy saving light bulbs use more energy when first turned on,
therefore wasting more energy if switching lights on and off?

Carbon Footprint carried out an in-house investigation and found that if anything low energy
bulbs used slightly less energy when first switched on, gradually building up to a continual
wattage (which only took a couple of seconds).

CFL Low energy light bulbs contain mercury, is that safe?

Low energy bulbs do contain a small amount of mercury which is not at all dangerous when
contained within the bulb. The bulbs should be disposed of responsibly and can either be
collected in your normal household waste bin or can be recycled at your local council’s
Household Waste and Recycling Centre or at collection points provided by some light bulb
retailers.

Should you break a bulb in the house, it is advised that the broken material is swept up using
a damp cloth and both the debris and cloth put into a double layered plastic bag and taken to
a collection point for disposal. The room should then be well ventilated for at least 15
minutes.
Loft Insulation
25% of the heat generated in your house could be going through the roof!

Loft insulation is one of the most cost efficient ways of reducing your heating bills and is also
easy to install.

The ideal thickness of loft insulation is about 200mm (8 inches), so if the insulation in your
loft is less than this then you should top it up.

Loft insulation can be installed by anyone reasonably competent at DIY (do it yourself). Lay
the insulation between the joists where possible, and then at right angles to the first layer
when it reaches the top of the joists (most joists will be less than 4" high). Make sure the loft
hatch is also insulated.
Cavity Wall Insulation
Cavity wall insulation is one of the most cost effective ways of reducing
heat loss in your home. Up to 35% of heat can be lost through the
walls of your home.

Cavity wall insulation is a simple solution which can reduce heat loss in your walls by up to
60%. This could save you up to $350 (£200 GBP) per year on a your heating bills, if your
home is currently poorly insulated. The cost of installing cavity wall insulation should be
recovered within 5 years from the savings in your heating bills.

You first need to check that your walls are suitable for cavity wall insulation. Cavity walls are
at least 12 inches (30cm) thick and comprise an outer and inner wall separated by a air gap.
If you are unsure then contact a cavity wall specialist.

It's well worth checking to see if you are eligible for a grant. Government grants are available
in many countries, to help pay the cost of installing cavity wall insulation.
Grey Water Technology Solutions
Not only is water a scarce resource globally- it also takes a huge amounts
of energy to move it around - all adding to your carbon footprint.
Grey water is the solution.

Money goes down the plug-hole

Most consumers are very wasteful when it comes to water usage. In Western economies, we
take water supply for granted and use huge quantities of potable water - often for non-
essential purposes and - worst - sometimes we just pour it straight away. An increasing
number of us now have water meters fitted to our homes - meaning that we are quite literally
pouring money down the drain.

So what can you do ? Clearly, we can all make efforts to cut down on our use of water by
simple means (see Less Waste) - but also domestic water treatment equipment is now
available to help householders to recycle used potable water ( 'Grey Water') and also to
harvest rainwater. We like to think of this as Green Water.

Giving Grey Water the Green Rinse

With the right treatment, you can put Grey Water to good use in applications such as laundry,
toilet flushing, and also for plant watering - for which the phosphorus and nitrogen nutrients
provide a good food source. Grey water provides many benefits.

You can install a home UV filtration system from a number of suppliers globally.

Rainwater Harvesting

This is a low cost option that simply involves the collection of rainwater from surfaces on
which rain falls. Generally, water will be collected from the roofs of buildings and stored in
rainwater tanks. All you need is to capture this rainwater and direct it from roof gutters to your
rainwater storage tank.
 Car Travel
What can drivers do to reduce emissions?

• For local travel consider leaving the car at home and either walk, cycle or use public
transport
• Keep the vehicle properly serviced
• Check tyre pressures at least once a fortnight
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight in the boot
• Plan the journey, so you don't get lost and waste fuel
• Try to avoid congested areas
• When starting up, there is no need to allow the engine to warm up - it is better to just
drive off
• Try to avoid sudden acceleration, engine revving, and sudden braking - harsh
accelerating and braking can use up to 30% more fuel and increase wear and tear of the
vehicle
• Avoid using air conditioning if possible, as this uses more fuel
• Drive with the windows closed, as this reduces drag on the vehicle
• Accelerate slower
• Switch the engine off if you think you are likely to be stationary for more than 2
minutes
• On motorways be aware of the cars 3 or 4 ahead, and keep a good distance from the
car in front to avoid unnecessary braking
• When replacing your car, look for the most carbon efficient (i.e. with a low gCO2/km
figure) or with a high

Biodiesel
Biodiesel offers a great way to cut car emissions

Biodiesel is a fuel that can be used in any diesel powered vehicle. It is

biodegradable and non-toxic. Biodiesel is a fantastic way of
reducing your carbon footprint as it only releases the carbon
dioxide that the plants absorbed whilst growing, therefore there is
no negative impact on the carbon cycle.

Biodiesel can be made from waste vegetable oil. This can be collected from chip shops and
restaurants and processed to make biodiesel that can be used to run any diesel motor.

What many people don't realise is that biodiesel is actually good for your car too. Unlike
conventional diesel, biodiesel replenishes the lubricity, reducing engine problems and
enhancing the life and efficiency of your motor. Biodiesel 's natural cleaning properties will
also help to clean injectors, fuel lines, pumps and tanks, meaning that the overall
maintenance costs are reduced.

Virtually anybody can make biodiesel, as it is so easy you can even make it in your own
kitchen.

There are however a few words of caution to bear in mind.

• You may need to pay a small amount of duty on the fuel depending on the
source and quantity used.
• If using cooking oils, check to make sure it does not contain animal fat. The use
of animal fats as a fuel is illegal as it falls under a specific waste legislation.
• Check your car manufacturer’s warranty for their advice on fuel use- some
manufacturers will not honour the warranty should you use a fuel different to that
advised.

In summary, once you’ve done your homework and are happy to make the change, your
diesel motor will run better and last longer on biodiesel fuel, which is much cleaner, better for
the environment and better for health. If you make it from used oil it's not only extremely
cheap but you'll be recycling a troublesome waste product.
Recycling
Throwing things away is a waste of the energy and the resources taken to
make the product. Reducing the number of things that need to be
thrown away, reduces the amount of materials which have to be
quarried and mined.
Reduce, Re-use, Repair and Recycle

Reduce

We should all avoid products with excessive packaging

• The production of the packaging uses additional energy

• The extra volume and weight will have to be transported (by lorries, aircraft,
ships etc.)
• The packaging will be thrown out and will need to be collected from your home
by a large waste disposal truck
• Packaging then takes more space at land fill sites

Re-use

Everyone should try and re-use products for as long as feasibly possible. It is amazing how
often people buy certain products and use them only once or twice, even though they can be
re-used many times. For instance can you think of some items of clothing you have worn
only once?

Recycle

Recycling uses less energy and produces less pollution than making things from scratch.

For example:-

• Making Aluminium cans from old ones uses one twelfth of the energy to make
them from raw materials.
• For glass bottles, 315kg of CO2 is saved per tonne of glass recycled after
taking into account the transportation and processing
• Making bags from recycled polythene takes one third the Sulphur Dioxide and
half the Nitrous Oxide, than making them from scratch.

Another form of recycling is composting household and garden waste.

 Carbon Offset

Offset and become Carbon Neutral?

FIRSTLY, calculate your emissions:

• Individuals - Use our FREE online domestic carbon

footprint calculator
• Small Businesses - Register and use our FREE
online business calculator
• Larger Businesses - We offer a consultancy
appraisal service, please contact us for further details.

SECONDLY, choose an offset project from our portfolio and buy

online!

Already know how much CO2 you want to offset?

Get Prices
Amount: tonnes
FREE Expert Quality Assurance Guide on Carbon Offsetting
To obtain your copy, contact us at offsetting@carbonfootprint.com quoting your name,
position, company and telephone number.

What is Carbon Offsetting?

Each of our everyday actions consumes energy and produces carbon dioxide emissions e.g.
taking holiday flights, driving our cars, heating or cooling our homes and offices. Carbon
Offsets can be used to compensate for the emissions produced by funding an equivalent
carbon dioxide saving somewhere else.

Our Carbon Offset Projects

Certified Emission Buy Now Buy
Reduction Now Buy Now
Buy Now Buy
Now
Clean Energy

Kenya Reforestation

UK Trees
 Americas Offsets

Is offsetting the solution to climate change?

Offsetting provides a mechanism to reduce GHG emissions in the most cost-effective and
economically-efficient manner. Offsetting plays a vital role in combating climate change, but
is not alone, the solution.

At Carbon Footprint, our belief is that climate change will only be addressed if each and
every one of us takes responsible steps to REDUCE our CO2 emissions as much as possible
and offset the remaining unavoidable emissions.

Is Carbon Footprint approved by UK Government's Quality Assurance Scheme

for Carbon Offsetting?

Carbon Footprint Ltd welcomes the UK Government's initiative to establish a quality

assurance scheme for carbon offsetting.

The Quality Assurance Scheme (previously known as DEFRA's Code of Best Practice for
Carbon Offsetting) was launched in February 2009. Carbon Footprint Ltd are one of the first
offset providers to receive accreditation on the 24th February 2009.

Carbon Footprint Ltd sits on the government advisory board for the Quality Assurance
Scheme for Carbon Offsetting

How are Carbon Footprint's offsets verified?

Carbon Footprint offer a full range of carbon offsets for customers to choose from. We have
adopted a strict protocol for the management of our offsets and supply chain, from the
inception of our business. We carry out careful due diligence of our project collaborators and
suppliers before we offer any products to you.

Most of our projects are verified against the international Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS).

Ongoing management of our carbon offset project portfolio is fully traceable. We keep
detailed records of all purchases made through this website, along with a database of all
offline sales (most of which are made to companies). We also have a monitoring system in
place, which records when tree planting has occured or offsets have been retired, allowing
offsets to be cross referenced with customer purchases.