Recycling and growing your own vegetables are popular with those who care for the environment, but a new report says such activities do little to stop climate change.
Instead, researchers say two changes will have the biggest impact: cutting back on red meat and driving an electric car.
As they don't need fuel or oil, independent think-tank Motu says electric cars make the biggest difference to household emissions and therefore climate change.
With the vehicles priced from as little as $20,000, electric car retailer Henry Schmidt says it's a no-brainer.
"New Zealand's about 90 percent renewable energy, we're an ideal country for electric cars."
Motu researched what people could do to make the biggest difference to emissions.
As well as driving, they concluded air travel and consuming red meat and dairy are major contributors.
Dr Suzi Kerr, a professor at Victoria University and Senior Fellow at Motu, says families all around New Zealand could benefit from looking at ways to decrease their household's emissions.
That could just be looking at what they are buying, and what they actually need.
"One of the biggest drivers of your household's emissions is simply what your income is and how much you spend. As they're getting more income they're simply buying more stuff," she says.
Dr Kerr also adds that households that are trying to reduce emissions sometimes go about it the wrong way.
"A lot of people think they should be recycling or growing their own veges in order to affect climate change. We don't even include those because they are so small. They're not bad things to do for environmental reasons, but they're not about climate."
Dr Kerr says wealthier, higher-emitting households fly internationally more often. And regardless of income, the households that emit the most are the ones that drive a lot.
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