Footprint areas

Gas Footprint

Gas provides water and space heating and typically makes up the largest part of a home carbon footprint. The amount of gas used varies depending on factors including house size, temperature, insulation and boiler efficiency. There are green gas providers who use biogas, which is produced by the breakdown of organic matter such as food scraps and animal waste. Although this still produces carbon emissions, they are lower than those generated by burning natural gas. Find out more in Giki's Switch to a Green gas provider step. If your home doesn't use gas, click "back" on your home footprint page, to find the option "My home doesn't use gas". 

Electricity Footprint

The majority of electricity used in the home tends to be used on 'cold appliances'. That's fridges and freezers. It is also used for washing machines, dishwashers, cooking, lighting and consumer electronics like technology and televisions. The carbon footprint of your electricity depends enormously on how the electricity is created. The lowest carbon footprint comes from renewable electricity providers - who use wind, solar, or hydro power. Nuclear and biomass come next and the highest carbon footprint for electricity generation comes from gas with coal, being the highest of all. Changing to a renewable electricity provider is a great step to take to cut your footprint.

Oil Footprint 

Oil is typically used for heating where there is no access to the gas grid and typically oil is delivered to homes by truck and stored in oil tanks on the property. This footprint will not apply to most people and you can opt for "My home doesn't use oil". Oil is one of the most carbon intensive forms of home heating. 

Wood Footprint 

If you use wood for fires for heating, you can input how much wood you use. Wood is a lower carbon source of heating, especially when sources from sustainably managed forests and sourced locally to avoid transportation footprints. However, wood fires do generate particulates which are a pollutant.

Home Improvements Footprint 

The carbon footprint of general household maintenance is generally relatively small. However if you undertake a significant refurbishment, or extension project, the carbon emissions associated can be significant. You can mitigate this by opting for more sustainable materials. You can click "Back" from your Home improvements footprint page to opt for "I don't maintain my home". 

Household Waste Footprint

This footprint covers everything you throw out, recycle, or compost, including food waste. The more we recycle and re-use the lower the carbon footprint. Sending waste to landfill has the highest footprint because it emits methane as it decomposes and methane is a potent greenhouse gas emission. You can go to your steps page for lots of ideas to reduce waste. You can click "Back" from your Waste footprint page to select "My home doesn't produce any waste".