Apart from the structural and industrial changes that can be proposed to reduce CO2 emissions, citizens themselves can also contribute our bit. It is estimated that around 19% of polluting gas emissions, such as CO2, come from the domestic sphere. Reducing these emissions is also beneficial for our economy.
If you are interested in learning how to reduce these harmful gases and want to know what you can do at a particular level, pay attention, because in this AgroCorrn article, we tell you how to reduce CO2 emissions at home .
- Data on CO2 emissions in households
- How to reduce CO2 emissions at home using less electricity
- Reduce your CO2 emissions while you cook
- Emit less CO2 with organic and local food
- Household appliances are important in the emission of CO2 at home
- Save water at home and you will reduce CO2 emissions
- How to reduce heating consumption and emissions
Data on CO2 emissions in households
In Spain this figure is around 18.5% according to Eurostat. The main determinant of the carbon footprint is the source of energy. It is estimated that an average home consumes about 3,500 kilowatt hours per year . If instead this energy came from renewable sources, such as photovoltaic or mini-wind as we see in the image below, emissions would fall drastically, up to 80% according to experts.
On the web it is possible to find emission calculators, so anyone can know how to calculate the carbon footprint , that is, how much it emits and what fraction of those emissions it could reduce. To use them, we must have our gas and electricity bills and the mileage of our vehicle.
Here are a few simple activities that could reduce our carbon footprint .
How to reduce CO2 emissions at home using less electricity
According to the experts, it is false to think that leaving the light on has a lower cost than turning it on and off, in terms of expense, turning off the lights always pays off.
Regarding the bulbs we use, Led or low consumption bulbs are more efficient than incandescent or halogen ones. According to data from the National Center for Environmental Education (CENEAM) in its Green Homes program, incandescent light bulbs use only 5% of the electricity they consume and release the rest in the form of heat.
The phantom consumption of a domestic appliance is the expense produced by an appliance in stand-by status with respect to the appliance on and is calculated at 15%, according to CENEAM. This fact can be easily solved by means of a power strip and a switch to turn them off and on.
Reduce your CO2 emissions while you cook
When cooking, we can take a series of recommendations to reduce energy consumption , such as turning off the hob or oven a few minutes before finishing cooking and thus take advantage of the heat or when we boil something, place a lid so as not to leave escape the heat so that the water boils sooner.
Although it may seem curious, CENEAM calculates that the simple fact of putting a lid on the pot when we boil can save 65% of energy.
Emit less CO2 with organic and local food
When buying food, it is convenient to look at its composition and origin . A product that has been transported some 3,000 kilometers to our table has generated more polluting emissions than one that is fresh and grown near our home.
Likewise, the more a food is packaged, the more energy it will have used in its production and the more polluting gases will have been emitted. For example, the carbon footprint is higher for meat than for legumes and vegetables.
Check here our article on What are organic foods: definition and examples .
Household appliances are important in the emission of CO2 at home
Currently, household appliances have a label indicating their energy efficiency . In the case of a washing machine, for example, washing cold or up to 30ºC uses much less energy than washing at a higher temperature, since between 80% and 85% of energy is used to heat the water. Short programs also consume less. In the refrigerators, the new ones consume less and in general the larger they are, the greater the consumption. Also, you have to respect the temperatures. In the case of televisions, an LED screen consumes up to 40% less than LCD screens.
So to reduce CO2 emissions at home , consider what appliances you buy and how you use them .
Save water at home and you will reduce CO2 emissions
Frequently, the power of the tap water flow in houses is greater than necessary. With tap pressure reducers, we can reduce the water flow and, therefore, consumption (especially in the case of hot water). All this leads directly to a reduction in the emission of CO2 to the environment.
How to reduce heating consumption and emissions
Make use of a good heating schedule in the home, we will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions , for example by programming the heating one or two hours before arriving home . We will also save on heating if we adapt its temperature to the ambient conditions.
A fundamental way to keep the heat in the house is to have good thermal insulation that reduces heat losses, especially in doors and windows, where between 25% and 30% of the house’s heat is lost. It is also advisable to replace old boilers with newer ones.
It must be taken into account that each degree of more in the temperature, increases the consumption up to 10%. The house should be ventilated without spending so much time that we lose the heat.
All these tips will help us reduce energy consumption in our home and, therefore, reduce our carbon footprint .
If you want to read more articles similar to How to reduce CO2 emissions at home , we recommend that you enter our Pollution category .
Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.