On 31 October, the United Nations will meet in Glasgow for their 26th conference designed to tackle climate change. Known as “COP26”, world leaders will meet to discuss the changes necessary to combat the potentially devastating effects of climate change.

Leaders will be looking to agree on ways to secure global net-zero, protect natural habitats and work together to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees – a target that is not currently being met.

While large scale change will be required to meet these targets, there are smaller things we can all be doing to reduce our carbon footprint at home and help towards these important targets.

Here are just a few of them.

1. Drive less

During the UK’s initial coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, air pollution was significantly reduced. This was partly due to a decrease in industry but also due to the sharp decline in the number of cars on the road.

With fuel prices rising and many UK workers opting to work from home – either flexibly or permanently – now might be a great time to commit to using your car less.

The Harvard Business Review reports that 24% of global energy-related CO2 emissions come from transportation. Taking public transport to work or cycling to the shops can massively reduce your carbon footprint while also lowering stress levels and providing you with fresh air and exercise.

2. Switch to LED lights

While energy-saving bulbs were once the go-to for those looking to lower their environmental impact at home, LED lights are the solution 2021-style.

Which? reports that LEDs use 90% less energy than traditional bulbs and, as prices tumble, the time it takes the bulbs to pay for themselves is reducing too. The difference in your energy bill could mean your initial outlay is covered in just a couple of months.

Plus, unlike traditional energy-saving bulbs that take time to warm up, LEDs reach full brightness the moment you flick the switch.

3. Make use of technology

As consumers become more aware of the effects of climate change and plastic pollution, so technology has been developed to help us all do our bit.

Apps such as Ailuna and the UN-endorsed AWorld can help you to track good habits and measure the difference you are making. Some apps will allow you to set yourself challenges, “gamifying” your carbon footprint reduction even as it helps you to change your lifestyle.

Other apps – such as online marketplaces like Vinted – encourage you to recycle old clothes. While an app like Too Good to Go looks to tackle food waste by providing a link between the outlets throwing away perfectly good food and the consumers who don’t want to see it go to waste.

4. Cut down on single-use plastic

While manufacturers are coming under increasing pressure to reduce the plastic in their packaging and to ensure that they use recyclable material, progress can seem slow at times.

Switching to glass milk bottles instead of plastic containers or using soap instead of shower gel are simple ways to cut back.

You might also be able to make changes in your garden. While you shouldn’t throw away any plastic pots you are still using, once they are no longer fit for purpose, make the move to terracotta. Also, try to buy feeds and seeds that come in paper wrappers, rather than plastic ones.

5. Be less wasteful

There are plenty of ways to be less wasteful in your home and garden. Taking shorter showers, turning the thermostat down by just one degree and using a bag for life when you visit the supermarket can all help.

If you’re a keen gardener, be sure to collect rainwater to water your plants and compost any household food waste.

Where you can, reuse, reduce, and recycle.

6. Change your holiday plans

With world travel largely off the cards again this year, you might have found it easy to adjust to a second staycation summer. But what about next year?

Sustainable and slow tourism look set to be big business when the world reopens.

Think about booking a flight with an airline looking to offset its carbon emissions or take the train. Consider longer stays in one location rather than multiple internal flights and opt for an electric hire car once you reach your destination.

Also be sure to embrace the culture, wherever you go, shopping locally and thereby helping to sustain regional economies.

7. Consider your digital footprint

While the rise of the internet and digital communication has cut down on paper consumption and the physical transportation of data, it has still led to greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the European Investment Bank (EIB), the digital sector was already responsible for 3.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions back in 2017. In the same year, the civil aviation industry accounted for just 2%.

As well as the production of hardware and the energy to run our devices, data itself consumes energy at an alarming rate. Data centres account for a fifth of digital energy consumption. Think about deleting any data you have stored in the cloud unnecessarily.

It is also estimated that every email sent emits 4g of CO2 into the atmosphere, with around 10 billion emails sent every hour across the globe.