After the Greens powered their way to election victory in May, there is no doubt that climate change is at the forefront of modern-day politics.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has recently said “now is not the time for tinkering at the edges” when it comes to climate change.

There is also heaps of scientific evidence to back his views, with the Environmental Protection Agency stating that temperature records show a mean temperature increase in Dublin of 0.7 C between 1890 and 2008.

But it is not always clear what is directly responsible for the change in our climate.

Here are nine easy ways to help reduce your carbon footprint and protect the planet.

1. Eat less meat

The farming industry is one of Ireland's biggest sources of income, with meat and livestock exports amounting to €3.97 billion tin 2018.

Reducing your meat intake is said to significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

According to reports, Ireland consumes twice the global average of meat and a staggering 25 per cent of the average Irish person’s carbon emissions comes from diet.

The Food and Agriculture Organisations says that about 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock.

That doesn't mean you have to become vegan, but replacing one or two meals of meat a week will significantly improve your carbon footprint.

2. Unplug chargers when they aren't being used

We're all guilty of this one, but chargers use energy even when they aren't plugged into a phone.

This is both bad for the environment and your electricity bill, and you will save money by taking them out and switching off the power.

It is a simple thing to do which could go a long way.

3.2 Avoid driving whenever possible

 

It is pretty common knowledge that cars produce some of the highest carbon emissions around, and the sheer quantity of vehicles on our roads certainly does not help.

There are so many benefits of not driving or carpooling, for example you’ll be more fit, and you'll save plenty of money on fuel.

So hop on the DART, leap on a Luas, or take the bus to town - because our reliance on fuel-guzzling motor engines is driving us in the wrong direction down a one-way street to disaster.

4. Buy a reusable water bottle

 

This is one of the more simple steps that you can take to reduce a heavy carbon footprint.

Water bottles cause pollution to both the land and the water, while also posing a risk to marine life.

Plastic is non-biodegradable, so most plastic bottles end up as waste in landfills across the world.

If you buy a reusable water bottle, you can choose to fill it up whenever you want, saving you money as instead of buying water bottles you can fill it up for free.

Not to mention that it becomes somewhat of a sentimental object the longer you own it!

5. If you need to drive, make sure of your tyre inflation and other tuning

According to cotap.org, properly inflated tyres improve your gas mileage by up to 3%.

It also helps to use the correct grade of motor oil, and to keep your engine tuned, because some maintenance fixes, like fixing faulty oxygen sensors, can increase fuel efficiency by up to 40%.

It goes without saying making sure everything is in order will save you cash, as your gas consumption shoots down.

6. Try to conserve water

There are so many ways to cut down water consumption that are relatively easy.

This includes taking shorter showers, turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, and making sure washing machines and dishwashers are full to be more efficient.

Every drop counts!

7. Use 'Ecosia' as a search engine

 

Ecosia is an Internet search engine based in Germany, that plants trees by donating 80% or more of its surplus income to non-profit organizations that focus on reforestation and conservationism.

When you go onto the search engine, it shows you underneath your search how many trees have been planted up to the second.

As of 7 August 2019, over 63 million trees are said to have been planted by the searches.

8. Bring your own bags to the shop

Another simple step that can go a long way.

Bringing your own reusable bags to the shop will stop them having to repack the items in new plastic, while some shops may apply an extra charge for baggage, which won't apply to you if you bring your own.

Paper bags are also said to be marginally better than plastic as they are in theory made by a renewable resource (trees).

A lot of plastic bags end up in the ocean, significantly affecting marine life across the globe.

9. Eat locally-produced and organic food

It has been estimated that a whopping 13% of U.S greenhouse gas emissions result from the production and transport of food.

The same can probably be said for Ireland, where petroleum-based fuels are used to transport food across the country.

As well as this, a lot of fertilisers are also fossil fuel-based and can higher carbon footprint.