Tips for consumers so they can help fight global warming

However, you do not need to spend your hard-earned cash on cloth bags or new clothing made of environmentally friendly materials in order to do your bit to save the planet.

The cheapest way to help protect the environment is to change your lifestyle in ways that will also reduce your costs. Following are easy tips for becoming "budget greens".

Change your travel behaviour

Whenever possible, you should travel by public transport rather than your own car. This is an easy way to reduce your expenses and reduce pollution.

Just remember that each time you start your car engine, the carbon dioxide produced will remain in the atmosphere for at least 30,000 years. Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas most produced by human activity.

Also, by cutting down on your car trips, you will not be using the vehicle's air-conditioning, which is a major producer of chlorofluorocarbons.

Turn the ignition off when parked

When you stop to refuel your car, switch the ignition off. With the vehicle stationary and the engine running, it emits more nitrous oxide than when it is on the move. Nitrous oxide is a major greenhouse gas.

A car with a 2,000cc engine parked with the ignition on for 10 minutes consumes 100cc of fuel, while it would cost the owner of a car with a 1,500cc engine Bt8 for being parked with the engine running.

Try to reduce your air travel

With rising fuel prices, many airlines have tried to offset their higher costs by adding a fuel surcharge to their ticket prices. For domestic journeys, we should consider travelling by car rather than flying. It takes longer but is much cheaper, and environmentally much less fuel is used.

Reduce plastic-bag use

Many are aware that plastic bags take a lot of energy to produce but a long time to degrade. Some shoppers have already tried to replace plastic bags. In some European countries, shoppers must now pay a surcharge if they want their purchases put in plastic bags.

In addition, many people put food in their refrigerator still wrapped in a plastic bag. This reduces the distribution of cold air around the refrigerator. To reduce electricity costs, you should not put a refrigerator in an air-conditioned room, because the heat generated from it may cause your air-conditioner to work harder.

Don't waste food

Reducing food waste will not only save you money, but also help reduce emissions of methane, another major greenhouse gas.

Methane lingers in the atmosphere for nine to 15 years and can be produced by putting your unwanted food in a plastic bag. Food decomposes without oxygen, which consequently creates methane. Experts suggest putting food waste in a closed container with holes in it, and then the waste will eventually become biofertiliser.

Clever food consumption

Experts have also recommended reducing meat consumption and switching to a low-protein diet. This will not only cut cancer risk, but also help reduce global warming.

Cattle dung produces bacteria and nitrous oxide, which is 310 times more effective than carbon dioxide in fuelling the greenhouse effect.

Take care when buying electric appliances

Be prudent when you buy a household appliance. Their integrated circuits contain sulphur hexafluoride, which also adds to the greenhouse effect. Integrated circuits are in most modern appliances, including computers and electric fans.

You may not know that when you push the standby button on your television set instead of switching it off after watching your favourite soap opera, it continues to consume electricity.