A continuing thread through our Planet Devon campaign is our carbon footprint - a term now widely used to illustrate how the things we take for granted in our daily lives are affecting the environment. This footprint represents the effect our human activities have on the climate in terms of the total amount of greenhouse gases we produce. It results from products we buy, our leisure activities, our travel habits and the way we run our homes and businesses. According to the Carbon Trust, each person in the UK has an annual carbon footprint of 10.92 tonnes of carbon dioxide. We all have a carbon footprint, but changing our everyday habits and adopting a more thoughtful approach can make a dramatic difference. Travel and transport Car travel is an obvious source of emissions. The carbon footprint you create by driving depends on the distance driven, the fuel efficiency of your vehicle and the number of passengers on each trip.
 | | Air travel causes high emissions |
A footprint is created by whatever method of transport you choose. However, sharing car journeys, using public transport or opting for a bike, are all more carbon neutral ways of getting from A to B. One of the biggest reductions you can make in your carbon footprint is to avoid air travel. Take-off and landing use large amounts of fuel, so two short flights produce more carbon than one long flight of comparative distance. Energy efficiency Improving energy efficiency at home can be an easy and inexpensive way of reducing your carbon footprint. Changing to energy efficient light bulbs and turning down your central heating thermostat are two simple steps that will also save you money. As will turning off appliances left on standby. Longer term you should consider switching to a more energy efficient boiler or solar panels, both of which will reduce the size of your footprint. Bottled water Tap water is safe to drink in most European and North American countries, yet many people prefer to buy bottled water. If the bottle is labelled as being from volcanic springs - you can bet that it has probably been imported from some distance. Imagine the carbon footprint created by shipping the water! And that's before adding in the emissions created by making the bottle and recycling it. Food Miles
 | | Many products have excessive packaging |
When you go to the supermarket, look at the label to identify which country the food is from. There's no necessity to buy New Zealand apples in the autumn when there are plenty of British varieties on sale. Think twice about buying a bottle of wine from the other side of the world - you may be able to find much more local wine, which will have travelled far fewer miles. Better still try growing your own fruit and vegetables in your own garden. Planting an apple tree will not only provide you with lots of fruit, with zero carbon footprint, but the tree itself with breath in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere - making these fruit effectively carbon negative! Packaging We have almost become accustomed to certain items being encased in polythene or some type of plastic before we leave the shop. Be aware of what you are buying, it might just be that by considering how your purchase is presented can reduce your carbon footprint. Continue to look through the pages for our Planet Devon campaign and make your pledge to reduce your carbon footprint by taking your own direct action to reduce energy consumption. | 
