Travel less and reduce energy usage is the message being delivered to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) today.

Carbon Clear, a carbon management company helping businesses and individuals calculate their carbon footprints, has advised SMEs to swap trains for planes and turn off electric equipment at the end of the day.

Mark Chadwick, chief executive officer of Carbon Clear, said: "Reducing energy usage and working out [a] travel policy: they're two things that any business of any size can do, and they can make a difference."

Although that may incur an extra cost Mr Chadwick said that SMEs should swallow this expense as it is the "right thing for the environment".

He advised slightly larger firms: "Anybody who's got significant buying power can have a very large impact by putting pressure on their supply chain, so that their suppliers have to be greener."

According to the Carbon Trust, UK businesses could save as much as £1.4 million in 2008 through energy efficient measures.

Small changes firms are advised to make to achieve this include replacing tungsten light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps to save 75 per cent of energy used for lighting.

Lowering the office temperature by just one degree is also estimated to reduce heating bills for a typical office by up to eight per cent per year.

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