Tag: sustainability


  • The carbon footprint of fish

    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…

  • What affects the carbon footprint of pets?

    Pets contribute to the carbon footprint of your household. Should this affect your choice of pet? What can you do if you already have one? There are two main things to consider: the size of the pet and the food they eat. Size of the pet Research shows how the size of the pet can…

  • How to reduce your carbon footprint if you are renting

    If you are renting your home, there are limits to what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. It is not possible to install heat pumps, put in double glazed windows or install solar panel roofs without the landlord’s permission. But what can you do instead? It’s still possible to reduce your carbon footprint…

  • Eat seasonally to reduce carbon footprint

    Where our food comes from can greatly change the carbon footprint of our dish. Although it is more important what we eat rather than where it comes from, it is worth considering that using certain fruit and vegetables can significantly increase the carbon emissions of our meals at certain times of the year. This is…

  • Wish-cycling: putting things that can’t be recycled in the recycling bin

    Waste experts have coined a phrase to describe people putting unrecyclable goods in the recycling bin in the hope it will be recycled and therefore, in their mind, have done the right thing. It is known as ‘wishcycling’. Surveys show that 80% of the public have tried to recycle something that can’t be recycled and…

  • The best way to wash dishes

    If you want to reduce our carbon footprint from washing dishes, what method should we use? Should we wash the dishes ourselves or use a dishwasher? Research from Professor Bernes-Lee show easy ways to wash our dishes in a more energy efficient way. Should we use the dishwasher or hand wash dishes? Research shows that…

  • Reducing the carbon footprint of having a shower

    When we have a shower, it adds to our carbon emissions we create from our household. But how can you reduce your carbon footprint from having a shower? This depends on the time you spend in the shower and the type of showerhead and boiler you use. It is a very easy way to cut…

  • Myth busting: Organic food

    Do you need to buy expensive organic food to be eco-friendly? The answer is NO. This is a big myth that needs dispelling. First, it is not clear why organic food is ‘eco-friendly’. Second it is usually significantly more expensive than food that is not organic and does not last as long. No wonder people…

  • A diet that is suitable for a net zero world is quite different from a typical diet people eat today. Today’s diet is meat rich, with more saturated fat, sugar and salt than we should be consuming. In the UK alone, poor diet accounts for 13% of deaths as it causes diabetes, cancer, high blood…

  • Beer or wine?

    Beer or wine?

    Beer and wine are the most popular alcoholic drink. In the UK, 68 litres of beer and 11.88 bottles of wine were drunk per person in 2022 in the UK. So how do carbon emissions compare between beer and wine? Research by Bridle (2020) showed beer and wine as a drink have the same carbon…