It is not obvious how our water use contributes to our carbon footprint. Our use of water contributes to our carbon footprint in a few ways: it needs to be treated and transported to us and then heated when we want hot water. All this requires energy and adds to our carbon footprint. On top…
Here is a list of books which have been a source of inspiration for this blog. They burst myths, make it easy to understand how our choices impact our carbon footprint and provide good tips of how to properly cut our carbon emissions. These books are written by experts in this field, with their suggestions…
Local elections are coming up in Britain on the 1st May and there have been increasing attacks on the idea of ‘net zero’ from some political parties. The idea of net zero and climate change is being characterised as left-wing, expensive and pointless. The truth is climate change and the race to get to net…
Plant-based meals are what we should be eating in a net zero world. If we reduced the amount of meat and dairy we eat, it would reduce deforestation and carbon emissions dramatically. Less land would be required to grow our food because raising animals and feeding them takes up so much land. If everyone switched…
Which pair of trousers has the lowest carbon footprint? This depends on the material, weight and energy required to look after them. One would expect trousers made from ‘natural’ material such as cotton would have a lower footprint. Is this true? Synthetic fibres versus natural fibres Surprisingly, trousers made from synthetic trousers are better than…
Which type of shoes have a lower carbon footprint? Shoes vary immensely depending on what material they are made from, their weight and how long they last. Shoes and material Research shows that the heavier the shoe and the wider variety of materials they are made from, the higher the carbon footprint. Rubber crocs come…
Fish can be part of a healthy, low emissions diet. It is a good substitute for meat with high emissions, such as beef and lamb, and a good source of protein. But there are issues to consider when choosing which fish to eat. The problem of over-fishing affects the population of some species, and some…
You may have heard that palm oil is harmful to the environment. But what is palm oil and what impact is it having on climate change? Palm oil comes from oil palm trees. Up to 85% of palm oil is produced in countries of Indonesia and Malaysia. Palm oil is used in nearly 50% of…
It is common knowledge that eating meat is bad for the environment. But there is no meat that produces as high carbon emissions as beef. Why? Beef is the main reason for deforestation and mostly destroys tropical rainforests around the world. Tropical rainforests maintain the global water cycle, absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide and…
Eating less meat is a route to reducing your carbon footprint. Cutting it out altogether can reduce your carbon footprint by 1 ton a year. But there is an exception is this argument. A vegetarian meal is not automatically better for the environment if it contains lots of cheese. Cheese contains cow’s milk. Dairy cows…