The theme for Earth Day this year is working together to invest in our planet - for a better future.
At GeniePoint, protecting our earth is at the core of everything we do. We empower businesses and communities to move to greener transport, to accelerate the transition towards net zero. Even as individuals, there are changes we can make that if done collectively, can make a big difference to the future of our planet...
Choose an electric car
In 2019, Transport produced 27% of the UK's total emissions. Whilst we have seen improvements over the last few years with transport emissions falling, we still have a long way to go.
Making the switch to an electric vehicle is one way you can help to reduce your carbon footprint. By nature, EVs have zero tailpipe emissions, meaning they cause less pollution.
What’s more, you can also charge your electric vehicle with 100% renewable energy – further reducing your carbon impact. The GeniePoint network uses 100% renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar to power all of our electric chargepoints.
Turn off lights when not in use
Turning off lights and other electrical items when not in use can not only benefit the planet, but your pockets too!
By turning off electrical items, you can help to save energy within your household, which can help to reduce fossil fuel use and ultimately reduce CO2 emissions. What’s more, by reducing your household energy consumption, you should see a reduction in your energy bills.
Recycle and reuse
Within the UK, the Government has set a target to recycle 65% of waste by 2035. We can all play a part as individuals to help to achieve this target, by recycling and reusing whenever we can.
Recycling reduces the need to extract new raw materials from the earth, which makes it a more sustainable option. What’s more, recycling helps to protect wildlife, as it reduces the likelihood of the item ending up in landfill or in nature.
For some products, recycling them uses less energy than making them from new raw materials. This means the recycling process produces less carbon emissions, which ultimately helps to tackle climate change.
An increasing number of products can now be recycled, so before you throw something in the rubbish bin, double check the label to see whether it can actually be recycled. If it cannot be recycled, consider whether someone else might find a use for it.
Calculate your carbon footprint
A key step in learning about how you can make a positive change to the planet is by understanding your own carbon footprint.
WWF has created a useful tool to help you to calculate your carbon footprint. The questionnaire covers home, travel, food and ‘stuff’ and provides you with an estimated calculation for your carbon footprint in tonnes of CO2.
When you have calculated your carbon footprint, you’ll be able to see which categories contribute the most to your overall footprint. This will help you to understand where you can make changes to improve. Small changes can make a big difference over time, such as choosing to walk to work once a week, or using locally sourced food produce where you can.
If you decide to make a change this Earth Day, Tweet us and let us know! Together, we can help to protect our planet.