This year the world has fallen into a global crisis because of the pandemic. Governments around the world are working hard to save people’s lives on the one hand and save the economy on the other. In between, there is the thorny issue of climate change, which has dogged our species since the industrial revolution.
The issue of climate change has not gone away despite our other problems, and there needs to be just as much effort to reduce our carbon output this year as there ever was. The stakes are high. The rise in global temperatures is largely our fault – that is collective humanity – so it’s up to us to change our habit and prevent runaway climate change that could transform earth into a deserted Venus-like rock.
Seal Your Chimney
Having an active chimney in your home may not be the best way to reduce your carbon footprint as even burning fuel efficient logs will send extra carbon into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. However, you don’t need to abandon your open winter fire altogether, nor your shallow trench drain systems in the backyard. There’s no need to switch it off at Christmas time and forget about buying your chestnuts – you can still burn your open fire and be energy efficient.
When you’re burning the fire, the chimney evacuates the smoke; that’s unless you choose to burn smokeless logs, which are available and necessary in some places. But when the fire is not burning, the chimney flue is the same as an open window in your living room. You probably feel the draft from time to time. This open flue will also evacuate the warm air from your house. To prevent it, use a chimney seal or flue balloon to block it off.
Use Fans for Extra Heat
One of the best ways to reduce your carbon output is to improve your home’s energy efficiency. There are several ways to do this that will be explored through the article. The first trick is to use a fan. It might seem a bit backwaters to start using a fan in the middle of winter, but it can significantly improve the warmth of your rooms and efficiency of your home’s energy usage.
Because of the nature of thermodynamics, air rises when it becomes warm. This means that all the heat generated from your radiators and open fire will float up to the ceiling, where it’s of very little use to anyone. Put a fan on the ground and set it to low – you don’t want it to start cooling the room down. The fan’s convected air will help the warm air on the ceiling mix with the cold air further down create a cozy warm space.
Make the Most of Radiators
For most people, radiators are the main source of heat in the home but depending on how you use them; they can be more or less efficient. If not used correctly, radiators can cost you money and increase your carbon footprint without you realizing. One way this happens is by leaving radiators on around the house. When you switch on the heating, you don’t always consider what rooms are being heated, but doing so can save you quite a bit of energy.
Make sure all your radiators are on the most efficient settings or switched off in rooms where no one is occupying them. Next, make sure the rooms that are occupied are as well insulated as possible. Heat is lost very easily through the windows, doors, and other small cracks. Remember, the best way to reduce your carbon footprint this winter is to improve your energy efficiency – it doesn’t have to cost you much if anything to do, and it can save your significant money on your annual bills.
Insulate
It’s all about the insulation! The better you can insulate your home, the warmer you will be, the less you will pay, and the more you will reduce your carbon footprint. Your home is full of potential heat loss through the walls, the windows, the roof, the chimney, and the floor. This is partly why we need to keep heating our homes so much – particularly older ones are extremely inefficient. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t bring yours up to standard if you live in an older house.
Firstly, assess your options. Broadly there are two types of insulation you can use for your home. Cavity wall insulation and loose-fill insulation. Cavity wall is probably the best as it gets into all the little air pockets and seals them up. That’s probably the expensive option, although it will pay off over time. However, for a quick fix this winter, hang heavy curtains to block the windows and use door cushions to keep the heat in. If you do want to invest a little, double or triple glazed windows are an excellent choice.
Minimize Your Home
You might have heard of minimalism. Actually, it’s an art movement from the 20th century, but it’s found a new path in the 21st. Minimalism now is a culture of downsizing to improve efficiency and reduce carbon output, thereby helping the planet be more sustainable. This idea extends to the home, where you can utilize an excellent practice this winter to reduce your living costs and your carbon output.
This practice involves only heating and insulating the rooms that you are using. The rest can be effectively shut down for the winter. When you turn on the heat, you know that only the rooms you are living in will be heated – there will be no heat used and lost in the rest of the house. It might make it a bit chilly to go to the upstairs bathroom, but you can feel proud about how much carbon you’re saving.
So what does it mean? In short, minimizing your home is about using the space wisely. If you’re in the evening watching television, you don’t need the whole house lit up. You only need to power the living room, and maybe the kitchen. This is a very efficient energy and cost-saving practice.
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