How can individuals and families reduce their footprint?

Choose efficient appliances with BEE star labels

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) runs the Standards and Labelling programme, started in 2006. Appliances are rated from 1 star (least efficient) to 5 stars (most efficient). According to a BEE and Ministry of Power document of 2024, 35 types of appliances were covered by January 2024, 16 of them mandatory.

Practical tips:

• Compare the yearly units (kWh) printed on the label, not just the stars, because star bands are revised over time.
• Replace the oldest, most-used appliances first: AC, refrigerator, water heater, fans and lights.
• Switch off standby loads and keep AC filters clean.

Set the AC sensibly

Since 1 January 2020, star-labelled room air conditioners sold in India must have a default temperature of 24 degrees Celsius (BEE notification of 30 October 2019, reported by PIB). BEE says each 1 degree Celsius higher setting saves about 6% of the AC's electricity. You can still change the setting.

Consider rooftop solar under PM Surya Ghar

The Union Cabinet approved PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana on 29 February 2024, with an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and a goal of rooftop solar for one crore households (PIB). Central financial assistance is:

System size	Central assistance (PIB)
Up to 2 kW	60% of system cost
2 to 3 kW (extra capacity)	40% of the additional cost
Above 3 kW	Capped at the 3 kW level

PIB gives this as about Rs 30,000 for 1 kW, Rs 60,000 for 2 kW and Rs 78,000 for 3 kW or more. A 2026 PIB release reported over 50 lakh households with installations. Applications are made on pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Scheme rules change, so check the portal before you apply.

Every unit of solar you use instead of grid power avoids roughly the grid factor of 0.675 kg CO2 per kWh (CEA CO2 Baseline Database, Version 22.0, FY 2025-26). Your actual result depends on roof direction, shade and how much you use during the day.

Rethink commuting and travel

Per kilometre, a scooter under 110 cc emits about 0.0368 kg CO2 and a petrol hatchback under 1,400 cc about 0.140 kg CO2 (India GHG Program, 2015, including a 10% real-world uplift). Sharing a car splits its emissions between passengers. Walking, cycling, buses and metro trains are lower still.

For longer trips, UK government factors shown by Our World in Data (2022) put a domestic flight at about 246 g CO2e per passenger-km against about 35 g for national rail. Indian trains differ, but the gap is usually large. An electric vehicle's emissions depend on the grid that charges it, which is getting cleaner each year in CEA data.

Eat well and waste less

Our World in Data, using Poore and Nemecek (2018), shows that what you eat matters much more than how far it travelled. Plant-rich meals, pulses and seasonal vegetables generally have lower emissions per kilogram than meat and cheese. The simplest step for any family is to buy and cook only what you will eat.

Handle waste properly

Wet waste rotting in mixed garbage produces methane. Segregate wet and dry waste as your municipality requires, compost wet waste at home or in your society, and repair or reuse before buying new.