As well as the three Rs of reuse, recycle & reduce, there is fourth R that is helpful towards carbon reduction: Renewable.
The Renewable Energy Association is a trade body for the renewable technologies industry. Generating energy from a renewable source means fossil fuels are ignored in favour of wind, solar, wave, biomass (burning natural products such as wood pellets domestically, or poultry waste industrially) and hydro-electric schemes.
For domestic heating, there are various options:
- Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels installed on the roof of a house can generate enough electricity to power it, even on cloudy days;
- Alternatively solar water heating only is a cheaper option;
- Domestic wind turbines may be an option in more rural areas;
- Geothermal heat pumps draw heat efficiently from underground before circulating it around the house;
- Wood burning systems can heat a room, or can fuel a boiler to heat an entire house. The wood pellets they use are specially treated and absorb as much carbon dioxide as they release, meaning they have a neutral effect upon the environment.
If the above options are not feasible for your circumstances, it is also very easy to change your electricity company to one that will provide you with electricity generated from renewable sources.
See the energy saving & renewables category of our shopping directory for links to various websites providing renewable energy, and domestic energy generating.