Installing a low-flow showerhead to reduce hot water use can save 350 pounds of CO2.
This can save about 550 pounds of CO2 a year.ġ9. Switch lights off when you leave the room and unplug your electronic devices when they are not in use.ġ8. They are also preferable to compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs, which emit 80 percent of their energy as heat and contain mercury.ġ7. Though LEDs cost more, they use a quarter of the energy and last up to 25 times longer.
Change incandescent light bulbs (which waste 90 percent of their energy as heat) to light emitting diodes (LEDs). This will show how you use or waste energy and help identify ways to be more energy efficient.ġ6. Support and buy from companies that are environmentally responsible and sustainable. If shopping for appliances, lighting, office equipment or electronics, look for Energy Star products, which are certified to be more energy efficient.ġ4. Laptops require less energy to charge and operate than desktops.ġ3. If you’re in the market for a new computer, opt for a laptop instead of a desktop. Try to avoid items with excess packaging.ġ2. Bring your own reusable bag when you shop.ġ1. Buy less stuff! And buy used or recycled items whenever possible.ġ0. Doing two loads of laundry weekly in cold water instead of hot or warm water can save up to 500 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. The enzymes in cold water detergent are designed to clean better in cold water. Even better, buy vintage or recycled clothing at consignment shops.Ĩ. Instead, buy quality clothing that will last.ħ. In addition, most fast fashion comes from China and Bangladesh, so shipping it to the U.S. Currently, the average American discards about 80 pounds of clothing each year, 85 percent of which ends up in landfills. Trendy, cheap items that go out of style quickly get dumped in landfills where they produce methane as they decompose. (If you live in New York City, you can find a compost drop-off site here. Reduce your food waste by planning meals ahead of time, freezing the excess and reusing leftovers.ĥ. Buy foodstuffs in bulk when possible using your own reusable container.Ĥ. Transporting food from far away, whether by truck, ship, rail or plane, uses fossil fuels for fuel and for cooling to keep foods in transit from spoiling.ģ. Choose organic and local foods that are in season. You can start by joining Meatless Mondays.Ģ. Every day that you forgo meat and dairy, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 8 pounds-that’s 2,920 pounds a year. Livestock-meat and dairy-is responsible for 14.5 percent of manmade global greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from feed production and processing and the methane (25 times more potent than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere over 100 years) that beef and sheep belch out. This means eating mostly fruits, veggies, grains, and beans. Here are some of the easiest ways you can start to shrink your carbon footprint. The EPA’s carbon footprint calculator can show how much carbon and money you will save by taking some of these steps. We all have a ways to go to get to 1.87 tons.Ĭalculate your carbon footprint at to find out how you’re doing. By comparison, China’s per capita carbon emissions are 8.2 tons. per capita carbon footprint is 18.3 tons. The Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project determined that in order to hold the global temperature rise to 2˚C or less, everyone on earth will need to average an annual carbon footprint of 1.87 tons by 2050. Your carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases-including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases and others-that you produce as you live your life. They require little effort or financial investment. While there are many ways to do this and save energy-such as insulating your home, putting up solar panels, and planting trees-the following are the simplest and easiest changes you can make. Individuals, however, can make a difference by reducing their personal greenhouse gas emissions. In the face of the recent National Climate Assessment report on the threats of climate change, the Trump administration continues to try to roll back environmental policies. Reduce your carbon footprint with these 35 easy tricks.
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