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What can
I do?
We
can all tackle
climate and we
can do so by making
small changes in our own lives to
reduce our impact on
climate change. The following are
some steps you can take:
Reduce Energy Use:
-
Use natural light whenever possible
-
Switch to energy savers instead of normal light bulbs
Fact:
One energy efficient light bulb can save PKR 1,300 a year on
electricity bill.
-
Switch lights off when leaving a room
Fact: Lighting an empty office overnight can waste energy
required to heat water for 1,000 cups of coffee.
-
Always
switch appliances off standby
Fact: A photocopier left on overnight uses enough energy
to make 1,500 photocopies.
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Use less hot water
by insulating your tank and keeping geysers off when not in use
Fact: Using cold water for your wash saves 500 pounds
of carbon dioxide a year, and using a low flow showerhead
reduces 350 pounds of carbon dioxide.
-
Ensure air-conditioning/heating can be controlled in each room
and reduce/increase the temperature when needed.
Use Climate Neutral Means of Transport:
-
24% of all greenhouse gases were produced by road transport
during the period 1994 and 2004.
-
Try car sharing on your journey to and from work. You can save
money and make new contacts.
Fact:
Leaving one’s car at home for just two days a week reduces
greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,600 pounds per year.
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Check your tires frequently to ensure they are properly
inflated.
Fact: Properly inflated tires mean good gas mileage.
Fully inflated car tires help save
300 pounds of carbon dioxide for every 10,000 miles driven.
-
Drive less. Most journeys are two miles or less so leave the car
behind and cycle or walk and get fit at the same time.
Fact:
Walking helps save one pound of carbon for every
mile traveled.
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Recycle air conditioner coolant.
If your car has an air conditioner, make sure you recycle its
coolant whenever you have it serviced.
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For air travel, choose airlines that are active in their green
policy.
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Choose direct flights wherever possible and by economy class as
business class has higher emissions per seat. Choose airlines
that have higher load factors (ratios are available).
Reduce Food Miles¹:
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Buy locally produced food from your nearest market
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Buy organic food (i.e. food that is grown without the use of
conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or
sewage sludge – things which are all harmful to the environment)
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Eat what’s in season. It will not have traveled as far as
out-of-season fruit and vegetables.
Manage Waste:
-
Recycling your waste helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
10 -15 million tons a year in the UK; the equivalent of taking
3.5 million cars off the road.
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Do not print paper when not needed
Fact: It takes 23 trees to produce one ton of paper.
-
Producing items from recycled materials uses a lot less energy
and water than producing items from virgin materials.
Fact: Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough
energy to power a television for three hours
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Avoid products with a lot of packaging.
Fact: Reducing your garbage by 10% reduces carbon
dioxide emissions by 1,200 pounds.
¹The
distance food travels from where it is grown or raised to where it
is ultimately bought by consumers
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