Ten ways to save money by cutting your carbon footprint in 2026

As you may be aware, the UK is committed to achieving net zero gas emissions by 2050. But before then, there needs to be a reduction on the 1990 levels of gas emissions of 68% by 2030 and 81% by 2035. 

Based on current UK government policy at the time of writing, which may be subject to change, there are various major government initiatives in place to help achieve these targets, such as the ban on new petrol/diesel car sales from 2030, increased use of renewable energy, and a requirement for suppliers working on major government contracts to have a published Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP). 

However, over and above these national initiatives there are many everyday things that we can all do to reduce our own carbon footprint and contribute towards achieving the UK’s net zero goal. In this article we take a quick look at what your carbon footprint actually is, and ten ways to reduce it. The good news is that most of these will also help us to save money as well as helping the planet.

What is my carbon footprint?

Carbon footprint is a term we hear a lot about, but do we actually understand what it is? Your carbon footprint is the impact of your day to day activities on the environment. It is measured in the tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) created and released into the atmosphere by these activities.

According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) the average carbon footprint in the UK is 8.4 tonnes per year, and the average worldwide is 6.3 tonnes per year. Both of these figures are too high, with the estimated carbon footprint per person needed to achieve net zero being 2.3 tonnes per year.

You can get a good idea of your own carbon footprint by taking the WWF Footprint Calculator. The calculator is free to use and is based on your responses to questions about food, travel, home and “stuff” (the way you use items such as clothing, electronics and household goods). It can provide good insight as to how eco-friendly your current lifestyle is, and specific areas where you may be able to make changes.

Now let’s look at ten general ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

Ten ways to reduce your carbon footprint

There are many small changes that you can make to your daily life that will help to reduce your carbon footprint and most of them can also help you to save money. 

Here are ten ideas to get things moving

• Eat less meat

If you significantly cut down the amount of meat you eat, particularly beef and other red meat, this can potentially shave around 1 tonne per year from your carbon footprint . Reducing the amount of meat you buy can also save money on your food bills. 

• Buy food from local sources

Always try to buy food from local producers. As well as helping to support local businesses this will reduce both costs and pollution from the transportation of food from other areas or countries.

• Reduce food waste

The UK wastes around 10 million tonnes of food per year, and around 6 million tonnes of this is from households. Which is like throwing money down the drain. And when food waste goes to landfill it also creates potent greenhouse gases such as methane.

Much of this waste could be avoided by careful meal planning. Whilst meal planning takes a bit of time, it is also a great way to save money. By planning a week’s meals that need some of the same ingredients, and also use up what is already in your cupboards, fridge and freezer, you can save money on your food shop and avoid unnecessary food waste.

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

As well as aiming to reduce food waste, make it your mission in 2026 to avoid waste of any kind. A good guideline to bear in mind is the “Three R’s”:

• Reduce

Start being strict about only buying what you actually need, and avoid impulse buys of things that catch your eye.

• Reuse

Rather than throwing something away, consider whether it could be reused or repurposed in some way.

• Recycle

If you are getting rid of something that has no other purpose, try to find a way to recycle all or part of it correctly wherever possible.

• Buy second hand clothing

When you need something to wear, consider buying second-hand where possible. Fast fashion is particularly damaging for the environment : generating around 10% of global carbon emissions. 

You can often find wonderful bargains in charity shops, and will be wearing something unique rather than mass produced. Also check out online auctions and sales sites, such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Vinted. By doing this you can expand your wardrobe but reduce your carbon footprint, and of course save money in the process.

• Reduce energy usage in the home

A few simple steps can help to save significant energy in the home, and you will also save money on your energy bills. Five things to try are:

• Turn down the thermostats on your heating and water by 1°C;
• Spend 1 minute less in the shower;
• Switch off lights and appliances when not in use;
• Use your washing machine and dishwasher with full loads and at lower temperatures;
• Air-dry clothes instead of using a tumble dryer. 

All of the above can help to reduce the energy used in your home and bring those bills down.

• Use greener energy in the home

Check your energy bills to see which kind of tariff you are on. Most suppliers offer a green energy tariff that uses electricity from wind or solar power. Longer term, you may want to consider installing solar panels at your home to generate your own clean energy.

Make sure you are using energy efficient LED light bulbs which save energy and last longer than traditional bulbs. 

And if your gas or oil boiler needs replacing, consider installing a low-carbon heating system instead such as an electric heat pump.

• Insulate your home

One very cheap and easy way to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat your home is to ensure that it is fully insulated. If your loft and walls do not already have insulation in them, this is an important improvement to make as it will save a lot of energy.

But also look for smaller quick fixes such as getting rid of drafts. These can often happen round doors and windows, and it can seem impossible to get your home warm. But DIY measures such as caulking small cracks or using draft sealing tape or foam can quickly make a big difference to the temperature of your home and save money on energy bills.

• Travel mindfully

Many of us are completely dependent on our cars, but by making the effort to drive a little bit less we can not only help to reduce carbon emissions but also cut transport costs and save money. Why not give some of these ideas a try?

• For short journeys, consider walking or cycling instead of driving;
• For longer journeys use public transport such as buses or trains if possible;
• When using the car, try to combine various errands into one round trip instead of several shorter ones;
• If you regularly drive to commute, why not see if you could set up a car share with colleagues or neighbours? Or have a look at car sharing websites such as Lift Share.
• For work meetings always consider whether they could be done virtually rather than face to face,to reduce unnecessary travel. 

• Consider an electric car

If you do still need to use your car significantly, it may be time to switch to an electric vehicle. This greatly reduces emissions, particularly as the UK electricity grid continues to become greener.

Check out our recent article Do we only have until 2030 to get an electric car? to find out more about requirements and availability of electric cars in the UK.

We hope that the above information helps you to find ways to cut your carbon footprint in 2026 and that you also save money by doing so.

For more ways to save money on everyday aspects of family living, check back here soon with us at Loans 2 Go.