We can help you save energy in the home…There are lots of th...

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Ano: 2009 Banca: NC-UFPR Órgão: UEGA
Q1206148 Inglês
We can help you save energy in the home…
There are lots of things you can do to save energy at home, from simple things like washing at 30 °C, saving water and recycling, to insulating your loft and cavity walls. By saving energy you’ll be reducing your home’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and helping to fight climate change.
Why should you save energy? Over 40 per cent of the UK’s man-made CO₂  emissions actually come from energy we use every day – at home and when we travel. To generate that energy, we burn fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) that produce ‘greenhouse’ gases – in particular CO₂  – which are changing our climate and damaging the environment.
The greenhouse effect CO₂  and various other gases wrap the Earth in an invisible ‘blanket’, helping to prevent heat from escaping. Without this greenhouse effect, the average temperature on Earth would be around -18 ºC, compared with the current average of around +15 ºC. This blanket of gases has remained at a constant concentration for many thousands of years. Since the Industrial Revolution began around 200 years ago, people have been burning more fossil fuels. This has increased the heating effect of the ‘blanket’, trapping more of the sun’s energy inside our atmosphere. In turn the Earth’s temperature has increased more rapidly in a shorter period of time than it has for thousands of years.
The impact of climate change People sometimes think that climate change will be a positive thing for the UK, giving us warmer summers and fewer cold winters. But hotter summers and less rain in the south and east will mean water shortages, forest fires and damage to crops and wildlife. In the north and west there could be much heavier rain and more flooding. As the polar ice caps continue to melt, rising sea levels will threaten many coastal communities. Overall, the cost to society, the environment, our health and the economy is likely to far outweigh any benefits.
Make a difference The average UK household creates around six tonnes of CO₂  every year – that’s 6,000 kg – to heat and power their home. Making your home more energy efficient could save you up to £340 a year and reduce your home’s CO₂  emissions by up to 1,500–2,000 kg. You could save even more by switching to renewable energy sources, by walking, cycling or using public transport whenever possible, and by driving more efficiently.
(Texto introdutório ao manual “A guide to energy saving in the home”, disponível em: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Resources/Publications.)
Among some actions to save energy at home, in the text we find:
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