Climate change

What gets measured gets managed. The tools below can help you understand how your home and lifestyle is impacting on climate change, as well as practical suggestions on how you can reduce this:

• Answer four quick questions on the Get-Greener tool to find the best areas for you to focus on
• Use the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) calculator to measure and find ways to shrink your carbon footprint

The UK’s 30 million buildings - most of which are homes - account for more than 23 per cent of the UK’s total carbon emissions, with 79 percent coming from our heating systems which are largely powered by fossil fuels.

Decarbonising domestic heating and improving the energy efficiency of homes is a major part of reaching net zero, as set out in the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy (October 2021).

Adapting our daily behaviour to use less energy at home can also  contribute to tackling climate change, at the same time saving money on our bills in a period when energy prices are very high. 

• Get free and impartial energy saving advice from the national Government endorsed Simple Energy Advice service on 0800 444202 (freephone helpline). The Energy Savings Trust also provides information and resources to help make your home more energy efficient, reduce your carbon emissions and lower your energy bills.
• Warm and Safe Wiltshire offers all residents across Swindon free and impartial energy saving advice, especially those who may be struggling with their fuel bills or keeping their homes warm. Get in touch via their freephone helpline on 0800 038 5722.
• Free cavity wall, free loft insulation and free smart heating controls are currently available to Swindon homes in Council Tax Bands A-D through the Connected for Warmth scheme. The property must be owner occupier or privately rented. The award-winning scheme is fully funded by National Grid and delivered by a company called AgilityEco which has appointed Evolve, a Trustmark-registered installer, for the South West. Funding approval is subject to a suitability assessment and allocated on a first come first served basis. Register your interest using the online form provided by Warm & Safe Wiltshire, alternatively contact Evolve direct on 0800 292 2554 or email info@evolvehes.co.uk 
• Check out these home energy saving tips from the Energy Savings Trust,  Octopus Energy and Money Saving Expert (Martin Lewis)
• This Government online service provides homeowners with free recommendations for home improvements that could make your property cheaper to heat and keep warm
• If you are a homeowner or builder, check out the Futureproof service for independent, impartial advice on carrying out energy saving home improvements and retrofit work
• A quarter of that heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. Reduce heat loss in your home by installing insulation or draught-proofing
• Monitor your energy usage in real-time by upgrading to a smart meter
• Use this < href="https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/energy-efficiency/greener-home">postcode checker to access personalised information on energy efficiency and any grants that might be available in your area
• Find out which < href="https://www.cse.org.uk/advice/advice-and-support/how-much-electricity-am-i-using">appliances in your household are contributing most to your carbon footprint and energy bills
• Discover more about < href="https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-panels/">solar panels and use this calculator to help estimate the potential energy bill savings and financial payments you could generate 
• Watch this explainer video and find out more about < href="https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/air-to-water-heat-pumps/">electric heat pumps
• Check if a heat pump could be suitable for your home and whether you are eligible for a government grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler (Boiler Upgrade Scheme)

Decarbonising domestic heating and improving the energy efficiency of homes is a major part of reaching net zero, as set out in the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy (October 2021).

Transport is the largest emitting sector of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, producing 27 per cent of the UK’s total emissions in 2019. Cars and taxis were the biggest contributors to this, making up 61 per cent of emissions from road transport.

Active travel is a great alternative and is all about getting you moving from A to B in ways that don’t use fossil fuels. Active travel not only improves your health and wellbeing, but helps reduce your carbon footprint and can save you money:

• Check out the Swindon walking and cycling maps, local cycling events and journey planner provided by Swindon Travel Choices
• Get advice from the Energy Savings Trust
• Find 20 tips to help you fit 20 minutes of walking into your day via Living Streets

The Government has committed to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, with all new cars and vans being fully zero emission from 2035. The full transition to electric vehicles will be one of the most important actions to achieve the UK’s net zero target:

• The Beginners’ Guide to Going Electric helps drivers understand what’s involved in switching to an electric car
• Read these common misconceptions about electric vehicles 
• Find out more about electric cars, including local EV charging points, from Swindon Travel Choices and the Energy Savings Trust
• Use the Government-backed EV8 Switch free appto calculate how much money you could save by switching to an electric vehicle (EV) compared to your current petrol or diesel motor vehicle, as well as the CO2 savings and air quality improvements

Find out where your money goes. Voice your concerns about responsible investment by writing to your bank or pension provider, and ask if you can opt out of funds investing in fossil fuels. There are also a number of ‘ethical banks’ you can investigate: 

• Go to the Good With Money campaign website for ethical saving suggestions
• Visit the Make My Money Matter campaign website which brings together pension savers to demand their money is invested in a way which helps, not harms the planet, aligns with their values and protects future generations
• Find out what responsible investment means for your pension through Imperial College London

Reducing what you waste is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. Meanwhile many of the things we throw away haven’t always reached the end of their useful life. Sometimes items you don’t want any more can still be used by someone else.

More than 30 per cent of our clothing goes to landfill, with nearly half of us putting some clothing in the bin. All of our clothing can either be reused or recycled.

Recycling saves energy and also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which helps to tackle climate change. Current UK recycling is estimated to save more than 18 million tonnes of CO2 a year – the equivalent of taking 5 million cars off the road.

• Check out 5 easy steps to reduce your waste
• Love Your Clothes has lots more ways to make the most of your clothes, keeping them lasting for longer, and passing on clothes you no longer need
• If it’s broke, fix it - Swindon Repair Café is a drop-in centre for broken appliances and products staffed by volunteers
• Find out about household recycling services in Swindon
• Not sure if an item can be recycled in Swindon? Check our A-Z guide and also use this postcode checker to find out how to correctly dispose of your household items
• Check out the store locator on the Repeat the Cycle website to see where you can recycle plastic films, plastic bags and wrapping
• Download the free Refill app to tap into a global network of places to reduce, reuse and refill. That includes over 70 venues in Swindon offering refills for water, coffee, food containers and plastic-free shopping
• Look for local businesses and shops that will help you minimise waste and fast-fashion, like vintage shops, charity shops or zero-waste shops in Swindon such as Swindon Pulse Wholefoods in Curtis Street (Old Town) and Weigh It Up in Highworth 
• Look out for details later in 2023 of a food waste collection service that will be rolled out to all Swindon household from the Autumn. The food collected will be treated using a method called anaerobic digestion which produces renewable energy (biogas) and agricultural soil improver

What we eat, and how that food is produced, affects our health and the environment. Around 26 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the agriculture sector – if it were a country, it would be the second largest emitter in the world.

If as a population we were to reduce the amount of meat we currently eat on average, we could collectively help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve our health at the same time.

• Buying local and seasonal food supports your local economy and lowers the carbon emitted to get that food on your table
• The NHS Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet
• Find leftover food recipes and tips for reducing the amount of food your household wastes via Love Food Hate Waste
• Learn more about plant-based diets through BBC Food and the Vegan Society