Nearly Four In Five Are Taking Steps To Cut Their Carbon Footprint

Nearly four in five (78%) adults are taking steps to cut their carbon footprints as awareness of climate change and its impact on the environment rises, new research from The Green Insurer, which is focused on helping drivers reduce carbon emissions and drive in a more environmentally friendly way, shows.

The most common measures being taken to contribute to a more sustainable future include recycling and choosing reusable products to minimise waste (61%) and reducing their meat and dairy consumption (24%). Car use is also being targeted with 35% saying they are using public transport instead of the car for short trips and almost one in 10 (9%) switching from a petrol or diesel car to an electric or hybrid vehicle.

Table of actions taken by UK consumers to protect the environment

Action taken	Percentage of respondents
Minimise waste by choosing reusable products and recycling	61%
Reduced number of short car trips by choosing to take public transport	35%
Reduced intake of meat and dairy products	24%
Bought local or UK-sourced food produce to minimise air miles	17%
Stopped taking short-haul or internal flights to take train (or other more sustainable transportation)	15%
Switched from petrol or diesel car to a electric or hybrid vehicle	9%
Purchased a separate carbon offset product to reduce environmental impact when purchasing plane ticket or other item	7%

Around the home, people are looking to make their house more energy efficient. The most common action taken is to have double glazed windows (78%), use electricity-efficient lighting such as LED bulbs (70%), and have their loft insulated (62%). Less common measures such as solar panels and heat pumps seem to be growing in popularity, with 14% and 4% of respondents saying they have them within their home.

Home-efficiency measures taken by UK consumers

Action taken	Percentage of respondents
Double-glazed windows	78%
Use of energy-efficient lighting, such as LED bulbs	70%
Loft insulation	62%
Use of a programmable or smart thermostat to optimise energy usage	28%
Installed solar panels for generation of electricity	14%
Fitted a heat pump to replace a gas or oil-fired boiler	4%

Paul Baxter, CEO, The Green Insurer, said:
“These figures highlight the growing awareness and action being taken by individuals to combat climate change. By making small, everyday changes, such as opting to take public transport where possible instead of getting in the car, people are collectively making a significant impact on reducing global carbon emissions.

“However, we recognise that people regularly need to drive in order to get from A to B, and we launched our car insurance policies with environmentally conscientious drivers in mind. They are particularly attractive to those motorists who need to drive but who have also got concerns about environmental sustainability and who wish to reduce their personal carbon footprint.”

The company has recently partnered with Effective Home, a provider of solar panel products and battery solutions. The collaboration sees policyholders earn £200 Leaves reward points when they purchase solar panels from them via the website.

The company has launched car insurance policies that customers can buy direct from its website at www.thegreeninsurer.com and through leading price comparison websites. A customer’s Green Driving Score will be used to calculate their renewal premium and to offer discounts when they renew. Policies are linked to a mobile app, which monitors how customers drive.

Every mile driven by customers will be offset using a range of carbon offset projects which are assessed for their carbon and environmental effectiveness as well as the social impact on the people and communities where they are based.

All customer enquiries to will be dealt with by humans based in the UK rather than chatbots or overseas call centres.