Laundry

Did you know that over 80% of the energy you use for washing clothes is for heating the water? Mostly a cold wash is sufficient to clean your clothes and it is preferred to remove some stains. Hot washes are best reserved for linen and towels which can become breeding grounds for bacteria. But even then you can opt to set your washing machine at 40°C rather than 60°C. Never start a wash without a full load; if you only have a few white items, rather give them a quick wash by hand.
The sun is the only tumble dryer you need and for those rare rainy days, why not buy an extra clothes horse to place under cover? Tumble dryers are very heavy on electricity, so replacing your dryer with the sun’s natural rays will do a lot to reduce your carbon footprint.

Shopping

As a consumer you have a carbon footprint bigger than you ever thought possible and the only way to reduce this is to shop sensibly. Every store you support has its own carbon footprint and it will only reduce its emissions if people stop demanding its products. Ask yourself, do I really need that porcelain cat or those candles made in china?
Shopping for local products is also a great way to do your bit for the environment. Local products haven’t burnt as much fossil fuel or petrol to get half way across the globe. Luckily, we South African’s are blessed with an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables (thanks again to all our solar power). Try to eat local seasonal fruit and vegetables as far as you can; these take less energy to produce and tend to be better value for money.

Appliances

In contrast to tumble dryers, dishwashers are actually better for the environment than hand washing. Although they use electricity, they use far less water and soap than you do when washing your dishes by hand. Keeping your fridge stocked up is also a good way to save on power as full freezers don’t ice-up and are more energy efficient. You can also reduce your carbon footprint when buying new appliances: appliances now have energy rating labels from A (for efficient) to G (for the most inefficient).

There are also plenty of ‘alternative energy’ appliances which you can invest in. Solar power is the big winner in energy efficiency in South Africa and it’s becoming more and more inexpensive; you can invest in solar panels for geysers, heating and electricity for the home.

What to know to reduce your carbon footprint: a short summary

•    Local is good, made in china is bad
•    Do cold water washes where you can
•    Get into the habit of a seasonal fruit and vegetable diet; it’s health and it’s inexpensive
•    Tumble dryers will send you straight to bunny hugger’s hell
•    Get lazy and save the environment with a new dishwasher
•    Solar power is the way forward
•    Stock up your fridge (with aforementioned seasonal foods)

Now you can calculate your carbon footprint on your phone to see how much you can reduce it in the future. The cellular phone company, BulkSMS partnered with WWF to create South Africa’s first mobile carbon footprint calculator, called MyCO2Print. With these tips to help you reduce your carbon footprint, you’ll be saving energy and doing your bit for the environment.

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In fact, no one is more willing to admit the UK’s potential in the wind power market than the US. In May of this year the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) released a report that highlighted the increased demand for small wind technology globally. Ron Stimmel, author of the study, said that one of the reasons behind the US’s continued success in small wind power generation is government enacted financial incentives for small wind turbine consumers. “The UK currently exports more small wind systems than any other country in the world and has a great potential domestic market … With the right policies, the UK market could see similar growth,” says Stimmel.

Government incentives are precisely what the Carbon Trust recommended in their recent report that looked at different forms of renewable energy (including offshore wind power) from a profitability, jobs creation and carbon reduction point of view. The proposed incentives include subsidies and tax breaks for manufacturers to promote development and country-wide adoption of renewable energy technology.

Unfortunately, a few years back the wind power industry in the UK was plagued by unscrupulous turbine and generator manufacturers whose promises exceeded their ability to meet them. There was a backlash as customers complained about the inefficiency of wind power systems in general. To address this kind of problem and regulate the manufacture and sale of small wind power systems, the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) introduced performance and safety standards to which all small wind turbines must comply. To meet standards small wind turbines are subject to stringent performance tests in a variety of simulated wind situations.

The BWEA believes that the new performance standards, in combination with incentives and programmes to increase the environmental importance of renewable energy solutions, could lead to massive growth in the UK small wind power market and leap frog it ahead of the US in terms of global  market leadership. In addition to an increase in the export of small wind power systems over the course of 2009, the UK expects to meet 45% of the global demand for wind powered electricity by 2020 and that industry-related jobs will increase from 1,880 to 5,800 during the same period.

With the enactment of commercial EPCs and renewed focus on alternative sources of energy such as small wind power, the UK looks set to lead the world into a greener, more environmentally aware future.

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The aims of the plan are to reduce the harmful environmental and social impacts that come out of the clothing and textiles sectors. The plan aims to address all levels of the industry’s value chain activities; this includes importing from environmentally aware and ethical producers to reducing unnecessary disposal of clothes. No stone has been left unturned. And with the backing of over 300 clothing and fashion organisations, the plan is likely to make a measurable difference in the lives of UK citizens.
Many of the big names in fashion and clothing have committed to taking firm action such as Marks and Spencer’s commitment to building eco friendly factories in its supply chain. Nike, Tesco and Oxfam are some of the other heavyweights who have signed up to be part of the solution.

The actual plan itself consists of four broad aims, namely:
1. Improving environmental performance across the supply chain, including: sustainable design; fibres and fabrics; maximising reuse, recycling and end of life management; and clothes cleaning.
2. Awareness, media, education and networks for the sustainability of clothes in fashion.
3. Promoting markets for sustainable fashion and clothing.
4. Improving traceability along the supply chain (environmental, ethical, and trade).

It is hoped that the United Kingdom will catapult from being one of the worst clothing wasters to being sustainable fashion and textiles producers and consumers, and in the process help the environment specifically by reducing the nation’s carbon blueprint.

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