With concern of climate change mounting, we should all do out bit to reduce the size of our personal carbon footprints. There are many ways we can do this, such as fitting better insulation in our homes, hanging the washing on the line instead of using the tumble dryer and by giving up the car and hoping on the bike or walking for all our short journeys.

Some changes are less straightforward than others. For example, according to the UNEP, 24.6% of global carbon emissions come from electricity and heat, 9.9% of this is directly from our homes. So to combat this and reduce the levels of CO2 from the biggest CO2 emitting sector, we should all install energy-efficient boilers, white goods and use renewable energy as much as possible. But this can be expensive and timely.

3.6% of emissions come directly from waste. This is something much easier for us as individuals to change cheaply and quickly. We need to be recycling as close to 100% of our waste as possible. Not only does this mean less rubbish goes to landfill, but les energy is needed to make new products when old products can be recycled. This is particularly true of electrical goods.

Travel is another major polluting sector, although the possibilities opened by telecommuting, or visiting Pokerblog.com instead of travelling to Vegas, to have a small impact. However, travel is still a significant pollution issue.. 13.5% of all emissions come from some form of transport. 9.9% of this comes from roads, i.e. car usage. We can have an impact on our short journeys by using public transport of green modes such as cycling. However, for longer trips, particularly those overseas is it a little harder. But there are still options. Whenever you can travel by train as per person emissions are significantly reduced.

When you do need to travel by plane, make sure you offset your emissions. Flight Centre, for example, offer carbon offsetting alongside a huge variety of cheap flights, so being green needn’t cost the earth. There are loads of carbon emissions offsetting schemes available to choose from now and you can even select where you want your funds to go on some schemes. Most airlines and travel agents offer carbon-offsetting options when you purchase your flights or holiday.

Will really need to improve on this because it is so simply and affective, yet nowhere near enough people take part in the schemes. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, only 7% of travellers offset their flights despite 56% of consumers know what the scheme is and how to get involved.