You probably use most of your energy in the home. This can be reduced by some simple measures such as improving the insulation and/or the efficiency of appliances in your home as suggested in the Home Energy Tips.
Most of these measures involve initial expenditure. Their worth depends upon the "payback time". This is the amount of time that it takes to recover the initial cost in savings to your energy bill. e.g. if it costs £500 to carry out an improvement but you save £100 on your fuel bill each year, the payback time is 5 years. There are some Government schemes such as Green Deal and ECO to help you with the cost of some of these measures. Please see the Grants and Assistance page for further information.
Another way of reducing your use of Carbon is to use 'renewable' or 'green' energy. The most obvious forms of renewable energy are wind turbines and solar panels - you can even get paid for the electricity you produce.
You can also buy energy from renewable sources, known as Buying Green Electricity.
The total amount of Carbon we burn, and the subsequent emission of carbon dioxide is known as our "Carbon Footprint". Besides our home the other main reason for burning Carbon is for transport and consumable products. Our Carbon footprint can be reduced by thinking about our mode of transport for a particular journey and by using more fuel-efficient cars. View the Travel Energy Check for useful tips and advice