'Carbon Footprint' is a well-known ecological phrase that relates to human activities and their impact on the level of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. To be more precise a Carbon Footprint is defined by the Carbon Trust Website as a "measure of the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organisation, event or product."
Everything we do in our day-to-day lives, from switching on a light bulb, to driving a car, to using a product, all contribute to our individual carbon footprint, which, in turn, goes towards making up the collective footprint of the nation.
What types of Carbon Footprint are there?
An individual Carbon Footprint is made up of two parts; a primary and a secondary.
A primary footprint is a measure of the CO2 emissions produced directly from the activities of an individual or organisation. These are carbon emissions that we have direct control over and can actively reduce by, for example, monitoring and moderating our use of energy intensive appliances such as light bulbs and electrical appliances.
A secondary Carbon Footprint is the indirect CO2 emissions created across the entire lifecycle of a product. This includes anything from the extraction of raw materials and manufacturing, right through to its use and final reuse, recycling or disposal. At every phase of its existence a product is contributing to an indirect Carbon Footprint of this sort.
Why is it important to reduce our Carbon Footprint?
During the 18th and 19th centuries the western world underwent a period of sustained industrial growth that has become loosely referred to as the Industrial Revolution. While it is possible to identify lasting social, economic and cultural changes from this period, one of the most profound impacts has been environmental. Population growth, urbanization, industrialization and an increasing dependency on fossil fuels and, more recently, consumer products, have all contributed to larger and more far-reaching carbon footprints in the modern world.
Nowadays it is more important than ever to reduce our Carbon Footprint. Developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, are producing more and more carbon emissions. However, some of the world's largest contributors are actually developing countries such as China and India that are only now undergoing the same period of industrialization that we once did.
By leading the way we can set a precedent for cutting carbon emissions in the years to come!
Start with your lights and the rest will follow.
The majority of electricity in the UK is produced by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal. By lowering the amount of electricity you use, you will subsequently lower your carbon footprint. The lighting in a typical household constitutes about 10 per cent of your annual electric usage.
With the development of long-lasting, energy-efficient LED Light Bulbs, reducing this figure is incredibly straightforward. They are one of the easiest measures you can take to making your house more energy-efficient and help you start reducing your footprint today. A lot of people are deterred by factors such as cost and effort, but replacing your light bulbs could not be easier. Most have a like-for-like retrofit design that allows them to replace older incandescent and halogen bulbs without the need for refurbishing your lighting system.
LED Lights use 90 per cent less energy than a typical incandescent bulb, which will greatly decrease you primary footprint. As LED Lights also last up to 20 times longer than a traditional bulb they will also help you reduce your secondary footprint as you will find yourself using fewer replacement bulbs overtime.
Energy efficient LED Lights won't just reduce your carbon footprint; they will also reduce your energy bills.
As soon as you see how easy and pain-free converting to LED Lighting is and what an impact it can make on your Carbon Footprint you will be just as eager to search for new ways to make your lifestyle more eco-friendly.
Choosing the Correct Number of LED Downlights
While a single downlight can be used to create a focal point within a room, several or more downlights are needed to provide enough illumination to light an entire room. The question is, how many are needed?
The Pros and Cons of LED Lighting
The lighting industry landscape has been undergoing somewhat of a renaissance of late. The energy guzzling incandescent bulb, which has been around since the late nineteenth century,
Some Advantages of LED Strip Lights
LED Strip Lights offer a number of advantages over more traditional luminaires, such as incandescent, halogen and fluorescent.
