Eight actions we can all take to reduce carbon emissions

• If you do not already grow vegetables at home, try growing plants such as runner beans, lettuces and tomatoes (in Growbags or window boxes if space is limited). Even better, do it organically.
   
• Shop as much as you can locally and decline offers of plastic bags, bring your own. Plastic bag use in Ireland has dropped from 300 per year/per person to 30 and saved 18 million litres of oil from being consumed unnecessarily.
   
• Think about car sharing, using a bicycle, or public transport.
   
• Ensure all your lamps at home are fitted with low energy light bulbs. This will also save money.
   
• Compost kitchen organic waste such as uncooked vegetable matter along with your garden waste.
   
• Install house insulation.
   
• Install solar/thermal power.
   
• Check on your home carbon emissions. There are many websites that provide such facilities – try searching on “carbon footprint calculator”