Reducing your carbon footprint doesn't have to be boring!

There are some simple, fun and healthy things you can do which will instantly bring down your CO2 emissions.

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💚 Switch to renewable energy

When we power our houses with energy from fossil fuels this is not only immediately bad for the environment with the greenhouse gases that are produced but it is fuelling the future reliance on imported fuel. Where we can be self sufficient in power generation we should be.

The most common renewable energy sources are solar and wind. Check out our blog that dives a bit deeper into the benefits of renewable and how to switch.

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🥩 Eat less meat

Meat is really carbon heavy. You might be wondering why? Well, animals use up 20 times the amount of land, and emit 20 times the emissions of growing plants. Did you know that beef is ten times worse that chicken in emissions through the resources the animals need?**

There are lots of great meat alternatives and cooking with vegetables requires more cooking skills. You will be a master chef before you know it. We love Hetty McKinnon for vegetarian recipes.

Try meat free Monday's with us. Let us know by posting and tagging a picture of your meal with @our_trace #meatfree #positivetrace.

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🚲 Cycle to work

This isn't just about carbon, you can get fit too.

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🐄 Dairy free dinners

Ditch the milk. Did you know that a latte has 16 x the carbon emissions of a long black (and calories).

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💡 Turn it off

Turning off all of your electric devices can save a lot of power. The average Australian has around 30 devices using power on standby. That costs Australia $860million each year*. This one is an absolute no brainer. Low effort, save money, save the planet.

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💙 30 degree wash

If you wash your clothes on 30 degrees Celsius or less you are helping to save the planet through the energy saved to heat the water. The common myth that your clothes will only get clean on high temperatures is not true, make sure you don't overload the washing machine and get a good detergent that works at this temperature. We recommend using over 30 degrees for clothes that carry more germs... Oh and don’t use a tumble dryer.

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👜 Buy local

It might be hidden but a huge amount of our carbon footprint comes from the products and services that we use. The supply chains create pollution which ultimately we are funding when we purchase. If you buy local you can help a neighbour and it is great for the environment.

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If you have any more tips we would love you to share them with us or tag us on Instagram @our_trace.

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Sources

*Clickenergy.com.au

**https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/choosing-chicken-over-beef-cuts-carbon-footprint-surprising-amount/