Everyone has the power to reduce their carbon footprint, and it's easier than you may think. Reducing your carbon footprint includes making small lifestyle changes, such as taking shorter showers, recycling more diligently and swapping out single-use plastic products for reusable ones.
In this article we’ll explore the many creative ways to reduce your carbon footprint!
Transportation
1. Drive Less
Driving less is an effective way to reduce your carbon footprint and help keep our air clean. By leaving your car at home and walking, biking or taking public transportation, you can significantly reduce the number of harmful gas emissions released into the atmosphere.
2. Use Hybrid Cars
By driving a vehicle that runs on both gasoline and electricity, you can significantly reduce your total output of carbon dioxide emissions.
3. Regular Car Service
Regular car servicing is essential for both your car’s overall durability and reducing your carbon footprint. Keeping your engine well-maintained helps it run more efficiently, use less fuel and produce fewer emissions. Properly inflated tires can also help you use less fuel, requiring less energy to push the car forward.
Food
4. Eat More Vegetables
Eating more vegetables is an easy step towards reducing the size of your carbon footprint, and it can be delicious too! Try swapping out some of your favorite non-vegetarian dishes for veggie-packed alternatives to see how tasty sustainability can be.
5. Compost
Composting reduces the amount of organic material that would otherwise end up in landfills, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Composting at home can make a difference in creating a healthier planet.
6. Use Reusable Utensils
Doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint is as simple as using reusable utensils. Investing in durable, reusable items like silverware can contribute to a greener lifestyle and positively impact the planet.
7. Eat Organic Local Food
Eating organic, locally sourced food is a great goal to set. By eating organic and local, you are supporting your local economy and reducing the environmental impact of food production. Shipping requires a lot of fuel, so purchasing and eating food produced close to home is great for the environment.
8. Reduce Food Waste
Reducing the your food waste stops landfills from filling up. Buying only what you need, storing food properly, and taking leftovers for lunch are great ways to start.
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Home
9. Insulate Your Home
Insulating your residence is important. Not only does it make your home more energy efficient, but it can also save you money in the long run!
10. Turn Off Unnecessary Lights
Reducing carbon emissions is possible by simply turning off extra lights and sitting in one room. Every bit helps and cutting back on lighting energy use is one of the most effective steps to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
11. Replace Incandescent Light
Changing to energy-efficient incandescent light bulbs can significantly reduce electricity consumption and, in turn, lower your carbon footprint. Replacing traditional incandescent bulbs with LEDs or CFLs is simple and cost effective.
12. Use a Water Heater at 120˚F
Heating water at a lower temperature also helps prevent hazardous chemicals and other pollutants from being released into the atmosphere. Switching to 120˚F is an easy and effective way to help reduce your carbon footprint.
13. Switch to Renewable Energy
Moving away from non-renewable energy sources can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and lead to a greener, healthier planet. Putting money into renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectricity is essential for protecting our environment, and will help decrease your utility bills.
14. Use Less Water
Saving water while keeping the environment in mind is crucial. Whether taking shorter showers, reusing water bottles or installing low-flow faucets, small changes can make a big difference.
15. Do Energy Audits
Audit your energy usage to identify opportunities to improve and reduce the environmental impact of energy consumption. Doing this can help you save money and make more decisions with the environment in mind.
16. Recycling
Recycling is integral to reducing our collective carbon footprint. By reusing materials and products, you can help reduce the waste that goes into landfills and lower our carbon emissions.
Shopping
17. Buy Only When Necessary
You should be careful when shopping to avoid unnecessary items. Instead, purchasing what you truly need to reduce the collective environmental impact is essential.
18. Use a Fabric Bag/Reusable Bag
You can make a difference in our carbon footprint by opting for reusable bags when shopping. This small step can have a significant impact, as it reduces the amount of disposable plastic bags used and helps create a more sustainable future.
19. Buy Quality Items
Investing in quality items built to last also helps the environment. Not only does this help limit the resources used to create more products, but it also minimizes waste through cheap options.
20. Buy Secondhand Items
Not only does this limit the resources used to make new products, but it also helps keep usable items from entering landfills. Shopping for secondhand items also reduces pollution from manufacturing and encourages responsible use of resources.
Air Travel
21. Fly Only When Needed
If your job or leisure activities involve air travel, it contributes the most to your carbon footprint. Try not to fly whenever possible – driving is a better option for shorter trips as it emits fewer greenhouse gases. Using public transportation, such as buses or train service, is also a more environmentally friendly option.