A Low Carbon Lifestyle

At the moment humans are making carbon dioxide faster than plants can turn it back into oxygen. Carbon dioxide goes into the atmosphere and forms a blanket over the earth, warming it up. This causes climate change, which is threatening human life with rising sea levels, storms and floods.

Low carbon lifestyles create less carbon dioxide emissions. Activities that create carbon dioxide are driving cars, heating homes, generating electricity, flying planes, making goods in factories and transporting things a long way. So in a low carbon lifestyle you live closer to work, insulate your home, holiday by train, buy British products and eat local food. It's a better life too!

How to Start

The best way to start is to calculate your current emissions, so you can see how much you save in a year - you'll be surprised how well you do! To calculate your emissions use the calculator at www.lowcarbonlifestyle.org. Don't feel guilty about your carbon emissions! We've only just found out about the dangers of carbon dioxide.

Lifestyle Changes

Here are some changes you can make, with the approximate CO2 reductions, based on an average lifestyle. A good target is to cut your emissions by 3% per year, the UK Government target.

Feel Good

There are masses of things that have low carbon emissions, including TV, radio, music, computers, sports, arts, crafts, trains, buses, carshare, mail order, email, gardening, walking, socialising and love making. People who have tried it find that a low carbon lifestyle saves money, gives you more free time and brings quality, meaning and satisfaction to life. Later in the 21st Century life will be very similar to today, except we will be fitter, happier and healthier!

Calculate your CO2 emissions

Here are some changes you can make, with the approximate CO2 reductions, based on an average lifestyle. A good target is to cut your emissions by 3% per year, the UK Government target.

Lifestyle changeCO2
Reduction
Take the bus or train or bicycle to work15%
Share a car to work10%
Insulate the attic5%
Turn down the heating by 2°C10%
Use low energy light bulbs3%
Sign up to a renewable electricity company20%
Holiday by other transport than aeroplane20%
Buy British, quality, lasting and local15%
Repair rather than replace10%
Thoroughly insulate your house20%

Online Carbon Calculator

To calculate your emissions, use the online carbon calculator designed by Mukti Mitchell.

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