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Simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint

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Written by Tim Barnes-Clay

After a disquietingly warm winter, here are five ways you can contribute to saving the Earth.

As record-breaking temperatures have been observed this month in the UK, millions of Brits are thinking about reducing their carbon footprint.

A study conducted by Compare the Market revealed that a third of people feel that February’s warmer weather has encouraged them to reconsider their environmental impact. Moreover, almost two thirds of people are actively thinking about the planet and what they can do to help it.

Here are the five most common things Brits are doing to save the planet and how you too can help.

Recycle

An impressive 77 per cent of people recycle regularly. Start your recycle journey by making or buying a special container to sort out PET-type of plastic. Squashing plastic bottles is great for recycling because it saves space and stops them rolling off the sorting machine conveyor belts.

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Be more conscious of waste

A decent 64 per cent of people are more conscious of waste that they used to be. You can help by cancelling your junk mails, which will reduce a tremendous amount of waste of paper. Most companies have the option to have their ads canceled on their website. With one click, you can save trees.

A more energy efficient home

Just over half over people make their home energy efficient. Not everyone can afford to replace windows or replace better-insulated walls. However, you can easily replace your incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), saving three-quarters of the electricity used by incandescents. Most people don’t think about the fact that the electricity to run a lightbulb costs much more than the bulb itself. Yet a CFL only costs around a couple of pounds and lasts 10,000 hours.

Use less energy

Just over half over people use less energy in the home. The most common way to do so is to use light and running water only when needed. These small gestures make a great difference if everybody does it. Turn off your light when you are using it and do not let the water run when you are brushing your teeth.

Boycott plastic bags

Around half of people (51 per cent) are boycotting plastic carrier bags. This will not only contribute to saving the planet, but also saving your wallet. However, ten pence every time you buy food can quickly become expensive. Instead, you can buy a good quality reusable shopping bag often for under £1. Most supermarkets sell them and are also easily found on the internet.