Ways your family can go green

With the environment a hot topic and high on the public and government agenda, families who want to go green and reduce their carbon foot print are questioning how they can make a difference. There are changes that you can fit into your daily life and choices which can help you to go green and do your bit for the environment. Follow our tips below to see how you can meet the environmental agenda.

1. Recycle.
We've all been told to do it - and many areas have been given designated bins to encourage recycling, but many families still fail to reduce their carbon footprint in this very easy way. Recycle everything you can - from plastic, paper, cans and bottles, there's a surprising amount of household waste that can come into the category of recyclable. Remember to buy recycled goods too where possible, and go that extra mile in your recycling efforts.

2. Insulate
The Government have recognised the energy that is lost through poor household insulation, and is now offering grants to encourage people to insulate their homes. This will save your heating bills in the long run, and keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter. In addition to wall insulation double glazing on windows can help to insulate homes.

3. Use energy saving light bulbs
Energy saving light bulbs are a quick and easy way to save energy and money - light bulbs will all need replacing at some point so why not replace them with energy saving when the time comes, and avoid the hassle of having to replace on such a regular basis. These fluorescent bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.

4. Reduce your motoring emissions
The obvious answer to reducing motoring emissions is to use public transport and walk for trips like the school run. However this is not always possible or convenient, so for a way to reduce emissions while keeping your car, opt for an electric car like a Hybrid. Electric cars allow us to stop depending on diminishing oil supplies, while avoiding high petrol costs. There are other advantages which come hand in hand with a Hybrid - low insurance and zero car tax to name a few.

5. Don't leave things on standby
Even if they're not on, electrical appliances will continue to use energy if they are plugged in and on standby. According to statistics this equates to 40% of all electricity used at home so make sure you're not wasting energy and pull the plug.

6. Reusable shopping bags
Every year about 14 million trees and 12 million barrels of oil go into producing paper and plastic bags each year. Take the environmentally friendly option of bringing your own re-usable bag which are also less flimsy. Supermarkets are encouraging customers to bring their own by beginning to charge for plastic bags so avoid this charge, and the possibility of your bag splitting on the way home, and take your own reusable bag with you.

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Ben J White is an online journalist from Birmingham covering a range of green, environmental issues and the automotive industry. He has been writing articles and blog posts for online publications and specialises in electric cars, low emission cars, 7 seater cars and city cars.