What you can do

The climate emergency is a global problem which everyone can help to solve. Almost every decision we make has an impact on carbon emissions; to avoid the worst consequences of climate change we all need to make climate conscious choices throughout our daily lives. By sharing ideas and tips with our friends and family, we may be able to support each other to make further changes to reduce carbon emissions.

A good place to start is to calculate your carbon footprint. This will allow you to understand what areas of your life cause the greatest carbon emissions and therefore where you should target first. There are a number of online tools available to help you do this, including this one from the Global Footprint Network.

Here are some ideas for how you can reduce your carbon footprint.

Energy in your home

Switch to renewable energy - Often renewable energy costs little or no more than a regular tariff.
Make green home improvements - Adding insulation or installing a low carbon heating system can help to improve the efficiency of your home and reduce carbon emissions.
Turn your heating down by 1°C - This can reduce bills by £60 and save 310kg of carbon emissions a year.
Unplug your appliances when not in use - A small amount of electricity is drawn even when the appliance is turned off, so unplug if you can.

How you travel

Cycle or walk journeys under a certain distance - Try to swap short car journeys (perhaps under 2km or 5km) for walking or cycling, helping to stay active as well as reduce carbon emissions.
Purchase a bicycle through the Bike to Work scheme - This scheme provides tax incentives to encourage employees to cycle to work. Under the scheme an employer can pay for a new bicycle (including bicycle accessories) and the employee then repays the cost in regular instalments from their gross salary.
Improve your cycling skills - Bikeability and Sustrans Bike It schemes aim to enable children to learn to ride (or scoot) in a safe and confident way. Adults can also take a refresher session and book a 1-2-1 adult cycle training session with one of the Council’s trained cycling teachers.
Take public transport - Stagecoach Buses operate a comprehensive bus network across the city with services running every 10 minutes in some areas, and for further afield the train offers quick and direct links across country.
Switch to an electric vehicle - Peterborough has a growing EV charging infrastructure network with chargers owned and operated by the Council as well as private operators. There are several grants available to help purchase electric vehicles.

Further information on all these schemes is available through Travelchoice.

Your diet

Eat local and seasonal food - Avoid air-freighted food and food grown out of season in carbon intensive greenhouses to reduce your emissions.
Eat plant-based - Eat more vegetarian or vegan meals and share the recipes with your friends and family. Meat Free Mondays is a great way to introduce more plant based meals into your diet, or try the Veganuary challenge by going vegan for the month of January.
Choose Fairtrade products - The climate emergency is an immediate and ever-increasing threat to the farmers and workers in climate vulnerable countries. Fairtrade products ensure these people are paid fairly and given resources to adapt to climate change. As a Fairtrade City, Peterborough has many opportunities to buy Fairtrade products locally. Further information is available through our local organisation Fairtrade Peterborough.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Reduce the amount of single use plastics you use - When doing your food shop opt for loose fresh fruit and vegetables where possible to reduce your plastics use.
Reuse items - Give your belongings a second life by donating to a charity shop or upcycling into something new.
Recycle as much of your waste as possible - We have great recycling facilities for residents in Peterborough. Your green recycling bin can be used for many items, whilst food waste should be placed in your grey bin, please check the bin waste advice page for more information on what can be recycled. Garden waste can be placed into a brown bin, please see the garden waste collection page to request this service.

We are really keen to hear about any changes you can make. Let us know by emailing us at climatechange@peterborough.gov.uk.

Get involved in your local Parish Carbon Action Plan

Some parish councils in the Peterborough area have declared a climate emergency and have committed to take positive action to reduce carbon emissions in their operations as a parish council, and in the wider local area.

Find out more information on Carbon Action Plans, objectives and climate change projects, as well as details of how to get involved.

Learn more about climate change

If you would like to know more about climate change, the Open University offers a free online course that you can take at your own pace with a free certificate on successful completion.

Flood and water management