You can reduce your individual greenhouse gas emissions by making small adjustments to your day-to-day life. Looking after the environment and being considerate about your lifestyle choices seems like a no-brainer – and there are some great benefits to reducing your emissions footprint too!
Benefits of reducing your emissions footprint
The term "emissions footprint" has been around for years, but what does it mean? In a nutshell, it’s got to do with the amount of greenhouse gases that result from your activities in your day-to-day life, both directly and indirectly.
Doing your bit for the environment
Climate change and the protection of the environment are important issues, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to reduce the impact of daily living.
It’s a contribution that everyone can enjoy. Individual actions can add up to a big impact.
The potential to save you money
Everyday things like driving a car, having a shower, or turning a light on, all contribute to your emissions footprint. Cutting down on these everyday actions can reduce that footprint, and help you save money.
Reducing the cost of your energy bill is an obvious benefit to reducing your energy usage, but there are other easy cost-saving changes you can make that can have additional environmental benefits.
Think about how many times you just pop to the shop in the car. Petrol is often one of the most expensive regular costs for a household. For every dollar per litre you save by not filling up as often, you also reduce your individual emissions footprint.
Finding ways to drive less, such as making a habit of doing a single weekly shopping trip, using public transport, walking or cycling to nearby destinations, may help to reduce your emissions footprint.
Supporting local enterprises
Buying local ensures your food and produce hasn’t travelled a long distance on a truck or ship, both of which can contribute to an increased emissions footprint. So, when you’re at the shops, it’s worth prioritising locally produced products, which also helps to support Australian businesses.
To address some of your residual emissions footprint (the emissions that remain due to limited options to eliminate or reduce them further), you can also participate in emissions offsetting programs.
Contribute to emissions offset projects
Emissions offset projects are projects that reduce, sequester, or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions offset projects can also have additional environmental or social benefits.
As an AGL customer, you can opt into Carbon Neutral electricity and gas certified by Climate Active.
You can add Carbon Neutral to your electricity plan for $1 a week (GST incl.) and your gas plan for $0.50 a week (GST incl.). When you opt in to Carbon Neutral, we’ll estimate the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the supply and use of the electricity and/or gas provided to you.
Want to offset the estimated emissions associated with
your home energy?
We offer Carbon Neutral options certified by Climate Active on our energy plans, so you can offset the component of your emissions footprint associated with your home's energy consumption.
For internet, mobile, solar and battery products and plans, Carbon Neutral is included for no extra charge.
