The average British person produces 8.4 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. Some of the suggestions to reduce our carbon footprint are unappealing because it requires tens of thousands of pounds of invest, such as buying a heat pump and an electric car or it involves cutting down on things we enjoy doing. There is also misunderstanding about what actions make a big difference. Recycling bottles and avoiding plastic straws are a good thing to do but do not make much difference to the fight against the climate change crisis. If you have the right information, it is much easier than you think to significantly reduce your carbon footprint, without spending huge amounts of money or living a lifestyle you don’t enjoy. Here are 5 things you can do today which will cut your carbon footprint by 3 tonnes:

Switch to a renewable energy supplier – save 1.5 tonnes

Switching to a renewable energy supplier has an immediate impact on your carbon footprint. Energy makes up a large part of our home carbon emissions, which is why using a renewable energy supplier makes such a big difference. Renewable energy suppliers either produce renewable energy or buy it from independent producers. They sell it to their customers, creating a greener energy mix. Using a renewable energy supplier does not mean the energy you use in your home produces zero emissions. You are simply giving money to companies who are investing in renewable energy.

Adopt a plant-based diet – save 1.1 tonnes

If everyone in the world ate a plant-based diet, we could produce food sustainably for the world population without destroying the planet and increasing carbon emissions. With a plant-based diet, meat can make up to a third of your diet and plants should make up at least two-thirds. Plants are more than just fruit and vegetables, it also includes whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, plant milk, spices, herb, condiments and plant-based protein such as tofu, lentils and beans. Also remember that it does not matter whether the food is organic or not. It makes no difference to the climate change crisis. Plant-based diets reduce deforestation and requires less energy to produce your food. This is why it will halve the carbon emissions from your diet. Plant-based diets also come with a huge range of health benefits. Harvard Medical School suggest that it reduces your chances of getting coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, chronic diseases and makes it easier to manage weight. It also saves £560 per person a year because plants are cheaper than meat.

Recycle properly – save 0.2 ton

It is important to take recycling seriously and recycle what you can. Recycling can be confusing, but just put cardboard, paper, glass and hard plastic in the recycling bin which has not been contaminated and everything else in the general bin. Do not put containers which are partly full in the recycling bin, like a half full drinks containers, they need to be empty. Food waste needs to be separate from these products. Investing in a composter means you can get rid of all your food waste without producing emissions and create nutrients to your garden.

Dry-line your clothes – save 0.2 ton

Dry lining your clothes instead of tumble-drying them will reduce your carbon footprint because your washing machine is using less energy. Washing laundry on a lower temperature will also lower the amount of energy you are using. These small changes can lower energy bills by £80 per year.

Change all your bulbs to LED bulbs in your home – save 0.1 ton

This is a very easy change to make in your house. Once you have done it, you don’t need to think about it, and you will save on your energy bill as well as reduce carbon emissions. If you combine this with not leaving lights on when you are not in the room, you can save a further £65 on your energy bill.

If you are going to reduce your carbon footprint, focus on adopting changes that will make a big impact rather than actions that are good but make little difference. It will also make a big difference to your health and your budget.