How flatsharing can halve your carbon footprint

– New research reveals you could halve your carbon footprint by sharing with others –

• SpareRoom releases new data revealing how much energy Brits can save per year by sharing their home with others: 

o   Two people could save over 0.41 tonnes of CO2 each – the equivalent of one person flying from London to Marrakech, Morocco

o   Three people could save over 0.58 tonnes each – the equivalent of one person flying from London to Tel Aviv, Israel 

o   Four people could save 0.66 tonnes each – the equivalent of one person flying from London to Baghdad, Iraq

o   Five people could save over 0.71 tonnes each – the equivalent of one person flying from London to Kedougou, Senegal 

• A tenant moving from a one-bedroom flat to a two-bedroom semi-detached house as a lodger (living with the home owner) means both of them save 0.65 tonnes of carbon dioxide

o   Homeowners with two lodgers means a saving of 0.88 tonnes per person

The constant barrage of negative news about the climate can be overwhelming, leaving people struggling to know what part they can play in making a difference. But new research shows there’s one thing people can do that could halve the average UK individual’s carbon footprint, and millions already do without realising the impact it has. Flatsharing. 

New research released today by SpareRoom reveals that sharing a flat with others, rather than living on your own, can save up to 0.71 tonnes of CO2 per year – each.

Five people sharing a five-bed flat, rather than living in separate flats, save 0.71 tonnes of C02 each per year. Given the average UK individual’s annual carbon footprint is 1.4 tonnes*, that represents a significant saving.

SpareRoom has provided the below figures which detail how much CO2 Brits can save each year by sharing their home:

• Two people could save over 0.41 tonnes each – more than the amount of CO2 produced by one person flying from London to Marrakech, Morocco
• Three people could save over 0.58 tonnes each – more than the amount of C02 produced by one person flying from London to Tel Aviv, Israel 
• Four people could save 0.66 tonnes each – more than the amount of C02 produced by one person flying from London to Baghdad, Iraq 
• Five people could save over 0.71 tonnes each – more than the amount of C02 produced by one person flying from London to Kedougou, Senegal

Homeowners taking in lodgers can also have a substantial impact, not just on their own carbon footprint, but also on that of their lodger. A homeowner renting out the spare room in their two-bed semi-detached house to a lodger previously renting their own one-bed flat means they both save 0.65 tonnes of carbon dioxide each. If they have a three-bed and take in two lodgers, that rises to 0.88 tonnes each. 

Yet people remain unaware of the huge impact sharing can have. A recent SpareRoom poll of 3,683 flatsharers revealed only 8% share in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson says: “How we live has a huge impact on our carbon emissions. When people live together, they don’t just share space, they share heating and electricity, appliances and furniture and often cook together. All of these can help reduce carbon emissions. 

We always knew that sharing a home with likeminded individuals has many benefits but knowing that it can also be a more sustainable way to live and can help reduce our carbon footprint gives millions of people a reason to feel good about something that they’re already doing, and for those that live alone and are thinking about sharing, it’s a great reason to make the move.”