How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint in 10 Easy Steps

From purchasing fruit to taking an international flight, every action we take leaves an imprint that can be measured as our carbon footprint. It measures how many greenhouse gases we produce.

 

Your carbon footprint can be reduced in many ways, from taking public transport over driving, eating nutritiously and washing laundry in cold water to offsetting flights or long road trips, so as to lessen their impacts.

 

1. Change Your Lifestyle

Reducing your carbon footprint doesn't need to be a complicated or time-consuming effort; there are simple and practical strategies you can employ right away to reduce it, such as switching over to energy efficient light bulbs or cutting back on meat consumption.

Lifestyle choices are one of the main contributors to carbon emissions. You can decrease them by driving less (carpooling, taking public transportation or working from home), turning down your water heater and shortening shower times; also consider switching to renewable energy which has lower carbon emissions than fossil fuels.

 

2. Go Green

 

Finding ways to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle may not always be straightforward, but there are small changes you can make that will reduce your carbon footprint and help the planet. These include choosing reusable plastics instead of disposable ones and opting for energy efficient appliances as well as washing clothes in cold water instead of hot.

Flying emits huge quantities of greenhouse gases, so if possible it is best to limit how often you fly for work reasons. When booking flights it is always better to select nonstop flights as this reduces emissions even further.

Eating food that's low on the food chain helps lower emissions. If you must consume meat and dairy, consider switching over to veganism as soon as possible.

 

3. Recycle

 

Recycling bins are one of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Plastics, aluminum cans and office paper can all be collected for recycling instead of being sent directly into landfills.

Switching to LED and CFL light bulbs can save energy while simultaneously lowering your carbon footprint, as they require less fuel for heating purposes. Installing low flow shower heads and toilets are another great way to conserve water while simultaneously decreasing your carbon footprint.

Reducing your carbon footprint is not only good for the environment; it also promotes a healthier lifestyle and saves money.

 

4. Reduce Waste

 

Every dollar you spend has an impact on our environment, so if your spending goes towards fossil fuel companies or deforestation it will only add to your carbon footprint. By investing in more environmentally sustainable businesses instead, one way of lessening this impact could be investing.

Reduce energy use is another great way to lessen your footprint, whether that means switching to LED bulbs, using energy-saving appliances like washing clothes in cold water and installing low flow shower heads.

Avoid driving as often as possible, and when necessary use car-pooling or public transit instead. Furthermore, whenever driving use cruise control as sudden acceleration consumes more fuel than maintaining an even pace.

 

5. Avoid Single-Use Plastics

 

Use of reusable bags, cutlery, straws and water bottles reduces your carbon footprint as these reusable products have an increased chance of being recycled.

Avoid single-use plastics by purchasing food in bulk bins and bringing your own reusable container when dining out. Line-drying your clothes can save energy consumption and emissions; investing in eco-friendly home insulation or solar power will make a difference too; replacing appliances with energy efficient models will help lower carbon footprint.

 

6. Switch to Renewable Energy

 

Each person who drives generates an estimated annual carbon emissions totaling 4.6 metric tons; therefore reducing your driving is one of the best ways to lower your carbon footprint.

Reducing waste by forgoing disposable items such as cutlery is another effective way to save energy and decrease carbon emissions. Doing so reduces both resources needed to produce, package, and transport them as well as your carbon footprint.

Renewable energy is one of the easiest and simplest ways to make an impactful statement about environmental consciousness. Most utilities now offer green power options with easy online switching capabilities.

 

7. Make Your Home Energy Efficient

 

Energy efficient homes use less electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and can be achieved through simple changes like fixing leaks, installing LED lightbulbs and using low-flow showerheads. Also consider switching off appliances when they're not being used and unplugging electronics when not needed to save even more energy.

Schedule a home energy assessment to discover where improvements can be made. Driving an electric car and taking shorter flights are among the many effective strategies you can employ to lower your carbon footprint, as are avoiding products with excess packaging or choosing non-toxic cleaning solutions.

 

8. Take a Walk or Ride a Bike

 

Traveling to college can involve extensive driving. To reduce carbon emissions and save time and money on gas consumption, try taking public transit or carpooling with friends.

Your car produces two times more emissions when running with an empty engine than taking short trips such as to the store or dry cleaners, so consolidating your errands into one trip may save both money and fuel.

When driving is unavoidable, choose E85 gasoline--a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline--to reduce your carbon footprint.

 

9. Go Green at Work

 

Going green at work doesn't need to be complicated or time-consuming; simply encourage your coworkers to recycle, buy recycled products, and utilize green cleaning supplies.

Switching from paper-heavy communications to email is another excellent way to protect the environment. Carpooling and public transit services may also help decrease vehicle usage when commuting daily to work.

Eat lower on the food chain to minimize carbon emissions. Meat produces large amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, both which have significant environmental impacts.

 

10. Don’t Waste Your Money

 

Spend your hard-earned cash wisely. By opting for sustainable products like gently used clothing and local, organic food you will make an impactful statement about how important the environment is to you.

Driving safely and regularly reducing air conditioning usage are also ways to lower your carbon footprint. When renovating, choose energy-efficient options to lower heating bills while contributing to environmental protection. Traveling by train instead of plane can also help decrease emissions; opting for holidaying close by also decreases carbon emissions.