Stamp It: Alternative Travel

Looking for different ways to travel and lower your carbon footprint? Follow our top tips on how to get from A-to-B the green way.

Did you know that personal car travel produces 13 per cent of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to local air pollution and congestion? Last year, there were more than 31 million cars on British roads and with car running costs being more than £2,500 a year, there’s never been a better time to ditch the car and find alternative methods of transportation.

Check out our top tips for car-free travel – they might seem obvious, but they’re the best!

Walk
Did you know walking a one-mile trip could save you more than £160 a year in fuel? Walking is free, uses no energy (except your own), produces no pollution and is a great way to get fit and keep you healthy.
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Find your route – we love Walkit.com’s urban walking route planner, which maps out your route, shows you how long it will take and how much CO2 you’ll save.

Also, invest in a good pair of shoes – comfort will keep you walking for longer rather than a brand name!

Cycle
Cycling is up there with walking, and probably a bit quicker too! In the UK, nearly a quarter of all car trips are less than two miles. Simply swapping the car for your bike could save you more than £600 each year in fuel and reduce your carbon footprint too.
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Map your route – when we’re in London, we use the journey planner on the TfL website. For routes throughout the UK, try the National Cycle Network.

Look out for cycle schemes too. London's Barclays Cycle Hire has lots of bikes and docking stations all over the city and special cycle highways. It's the perfect way to get from A to B cheaply and greenly.

Although not compulsory, it’s worth investing in a cycle helmet. Also, a puncture repair kit, bike lockand high-vis jacket wouldn’t go amiss too.

Boat
Using one of the UK’s fantastic river services is a great way to escape congestion, save money and lower your carbon footprint. In London, the River Bus service runs every 15 minutes and takes you past some of the most iconic sites in the capital!

Other cities with river services include: Clyde, Bristol and Liverpool.

Public transport: train and bus
Using public transport instead of your car typically reduces journey-related emissions by half. It’s not nearly as clean a mode of transport as walking or cycling, but the one thing you can guarantee is that public transport will run anyway and produce emissions. If everyone travelling by bus owned a car, but chose to take the bus instead, there could be up to 70 cars less on the road – and that’s just for one bus journey.
Get started

For train journeys, try National Rail, where you can search for journeys and fares.To find local bus services, try transportdirect.info.

Electric cars
If you must use a car to travel, why not drive a zero-carbon electric car? There are already 8,000 registered electric cars in the UK and with initiatives to introduce more charge points across the capital and the UK, you'll never have to worry about charging.

You can find charge points at three of our London stores: Kensington, Bromley-by-Bow and Kennington - offering customers the opportunity to charge their electric car for free.

Stamp It: Eco Imagery

Stamp It: Colour Scheme Considerations

Stamp It: Conserving Water

100 Ways to conserve water

• Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimise evaporation
• Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap
• When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants
• When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up
• Collect water from your roof to water your garden
• Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance
• Use a commercial car wash that recycles water
• Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colours

Stamp It: Stamps

Stamp It: Ways To Become More Eco-Friendly

Save energy 

• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
• Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
• Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

Save Water 

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
• Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
• Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
• Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.

Use Less Gas

• Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
• Consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. Or move closer. Even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.
• Lobby your local government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in bettering your health and reducing traffic.

Eat Smart

• If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
• Buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmerskeeps money in the local economy.
• Watch videos about why local food and sustainable seafood are so great.
• Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain [pdf]. This is especially true for seafood.

Skip the bottled Water

• Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but itgenerates large amounts of container waste.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.
• Check out this short article for the latest on bottled water trends.

Think before you buy 

• Go online to find new or gently used secondhand products. Whether you've just moved or are looking to redecorate, consider a service like craigslist or FreeSharing to track down furniture, appliances, and other items cheaply or for free.
• Check out garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops for clothing and other everyday items.
• When making purchases, make sure you know what's "Good Stuff" and what isn't.
• Watch a video about what happens when you buy things. Your purchases have a real impact, for better or worse.

Borrow instead of buying

• Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.
• Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbors while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closet or garage.

Buy Smart

• Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.
• Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.
• Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you'll be happy when you don't have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).

Keep Electronics out of the trash

• Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.
• Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem.
• Recycle your cell phone.
• Ask your local government to set up an electronics recycling and hazardous waste collection event.

Make your own cleaning supplies

• The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.
• Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not to mention your indoor air quality.

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50 Ways to help the planet