Ask the Experts
After what many people widely consider as the failure at the Copenhagen summit, the focus has swung back to the people – not the leaders – being those who can truly solve the problems that are facing the environment. Small scale but widely implemented changes to your lifestyle can have more of an effect than any international treaty would.
Basically, we need to start saving energy. All of us, right now. There are plenty of ways of doing it and an internet search will show you how, but my advice would be that if you’re looking for ways to conserve energy and lower your carbon footprint, try asking the experts for help.
Most public utilities will conduct home energy audits for their customers, free of charge. A home energy audit will tell you how much power your household uses and offer specific strategies to help you reduce your energy consumption. A home energy audit can help the members of an average household find simple ways to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 pounds annually—and lower their utility bills in the process.
Another thing to ask your local utility is whether it offers green power, which is electricity generated using some type of renewable energy source such as wind power, hydropower, solar power, geothermal or biomass. This has worked particularly well in the United States, and the British government is keen to follow its example. More than 600 utilities in 37 U.S. states offer green power as an option for their customers. As a result, more than 50 percent of retail energy customers in the United States now have the option of purchasing green power directly from their electricity supplier.
If all this is slightly too much then a simple boiler inspection could help reduce both your carbon footprint and your bill size. Boiler manufacturers (see the British Gas site for a handy boiler manufacturer overview) are keen to be seen doing something about the environment, and your providers – whether that be British Gas or any of the others – are also quick to help you out. This may be simple maintenance or it might be a full replacement, but it will end up doing wonders for your energy saving habits.