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Lower my carbon footprint
At home and on the road, new technology is increasingly focused on reducing our impact on the environment. Whether you’re planning a home renovation or just planning on using a greener way to get around, we’ve got you covered with free impartial advice, tools, and even financial support.
Find out about the ways we can help.
Create a greener home
We’re a nation of home improvers. Having a warm home, improving comfort and reducing fuel bills are big priorities for homeowners in Scotland. Now, you can do all of these things whilst also making your home more environmentally friendly, sustainable and with a lower carbon footprint. With advice and financial support, making your home green is easier than you might think.
Four ways to create a greener home
Get bespoke advice from a specialist
You can get expert, free and impartial advice from a specialist. One of our specially trained advisors will assess your property and its energy performance and explain your options for generating your own heat or power at home.
Visit a green home near you
You can search, browse and read stories from people who’ve already installed renewables using this handy case study tool. You can even book a visit to a green home and chat directly with the householder about their experiences, first hand.
Find a
quality installer
Looking to install solar panels, heat pump or biomass boiler? You can use this handy tool to get details and reviews of accredited installers throughout Scotland who can carry out the work for you.
Check your green energy options
If you’re considering renewables, you can check which systems could work best in your home with this nifty calculator that shows the most suitable options based on your property details.
Embrace greener travel
We know that climate change is an immediate and urgent problem, but driving a car is still a part of many people's everyday routines. 17% of journeys in Scotland are under 1km.
There are greener travel options for those short, everyday journeys that not only reduce carbon emissions and help the environment but are also rich in other benefits too.
Active travel (walking, wheeling and cycling), car sharing, and public transport are all great alternative methods of transport that reduce travel costs and improve both our health and our environment.
Cycling is for everyone
Cycling is a fun and accessible way to get around with many benefits:
Financial benefits
Travelling by cycle is free, and cycling requires minimal ongoing costs.
Environmental and community benefits
By replacing car journeys with cycling, you can save money whilst improving local air quality and reducing carbon emissions.
Health benefits
Cycling can benefit your health in multiple ways by:
- improving physical fitness and balance
- strengthening muscles and bones
- helping you to stay healthy and active.
Wellbeing benefits
Cycling can also enhance your quality of life by:
- promoting positive mental health
- helping you to manage stress, depression, and anxiety
- making daily tasks easier by encouraging greater independence and higher levels of confidence
- connecting you with places and people and creating opportunities to meet new individuals and feel part of the community.
Have a read of our guide to inclusive cycling and adapted cycles to help you choose the right cycle and explore the support available to get you cycling ready!
Get ready for low emission zones
Low emission zones (LEZs) in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are now live. LEZs set minimum emission standards on roads within specific areas, allowing penalty-free access to only the cleanest vehicles to improve air quality.
The LEZ Support Fund, funded by Transport Scotland, offers eligible households up to £3,000 to take their older, more polluting vehicles off the road. The money can be used to invest in more sustainable modes of transport.
Learn more about the LEZ Support Fund
Making the switch to electric
Used electric vehicles are a great way to start saving money, eliminate petrol costs and reduce your carbon emissions. The Used Electric Vehicle Loan is funded by Transport Scotland, interest-free and repayable over five years.
Learn more about the Used Electric Vehicle Loan.
Three ways to embrace greener travel
Sustainable travel
Our advice teams across Scotland can advise on the benefits to your wallet, health and the environment of travelling more sustainably (we pride ourselves on our local transport knowledge!)
Going electric?
If you’re thinking of buying an electric vehicle our tool can help you compare options to suit your lifestyle and budget.
Travel better
We can help you prepare for the launch of your local low emission zone by exploring sustainable transport options to help you avoid penalties. Check to see if you are eligible for funding to move away from older, polluting vehicles.
Get active and help the environment
Did you know that in 2019, 36% of all Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions came from transport? Walking, cycling, car sharing and public transport are all great alternative methods of travel that help reduce emissions and improve both our health and our environment. Home Energy Scotland provides practical advice and support to make greener travel choices.
Webinars to help you go green
Here are some of our past webinars on tackling the climate emergency and how we can make changes towards living a sustainable lifestyle. These are recordings of the live webinars that we've uploaded to our YouTube channel:
An Introduction to Climate Change
Find out what climate change is and why we need to take action now.
