How to reduce our carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced during our lifetime. This includes carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases and others, all of which trap heat into our Earth’s atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect. Our history records have shown it has risen rapidly over the past 50 years. 

Every one of us has an ecological footprint that impacts the world, and it is down to us to take action. Unfortunately, climate change is happening but there are many changes we can make to save our future generations, otherwise, they may not be able to experience the world as we have.

There are so many ways we can live more sustainably, from choosing what we eat to changing our energy provider. 

Here are some ways we can reduce our carbon footprint and make a difference to our planet.

ENERGY

Sign up to clean energy. Contact your local utility or certified renewable energy provider, check if changing from fossil fuel to wind or solar energy is a possible alternative.

Turn down the heating. Did you know that 26% of the energy used in our homes is for heating? Turning down the thermostat by 1 degree can save around 10% on electricity bills and 300kg of CO2 going into our Earth’s atmosphere.

Utilities. Unplug utilities and devices when not in use, they still use power even on standby. Turn your water heater down to approximately 120˚F, this can save around 550 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. 

Water. The average family can waste 180 gallons per week. Reducing waste in your home or business means that we reduce the amount of water that has to be treated or that uses energy unnecessarily. Water that goes straight down the drain without being properly used is costly to you and the environment.

Lights. Save energy by simply switching the lights off when you leave a room! Replace incandescent light bulbs for LED… LED bulbs use up to 85% less energy and last up to 25 times longer.

TRANSPORT

Public transport. Taking the bus, train, or better yet riding a bike, decreases the number of cars on the road, reducing the amount of exhaust fumes being released into the atmosphere. Vehicles in the U.S. produce one-third of air pollution.

Driving. Using an electric car that is fueled by renewable energy is the most eco friendly, but if this is not an option for you, check your tyre pressure regularly, this can reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%. The average car creates five tons of CO2 each year. Try travelling off-peak and carpooling, these are other great ways of being more efficient.

Staycation. Going on vacation usually means hopping on a plane. Research proves that flying can account for up to 75% of the world’s tourism-related greenhouse gas emissions. Explore your own country and save flying for truly special occasions!

FOOD

Shop local. By supporting your local family business you will be reducing transportation distance and decreasing the use of fossil fuels. On average, it takes 1500 miles for a vegetable to travel to your plate!

Eat less meat and dairy products. By consuming less meat and dairy products, there will be fewer cows contributing to methane emissions. Did you know that 14.5% of our methane emissions come from eating meat and dairy?

Plant a garden. Growing your own food means fewer trips to the stores, saving you energy, waste, time, and money. It’s a win-win!

Reduce food waste. Plan your meals to reduce the amount of food waste and freeze any leftovers.

Take your food waste to a local compost site. This sends less wastage to landfills. Decomposing food releases methane into the environment that contributes to climate change.

RECYCLING

Refuse. Avoid single-use plastics and paper products by saying no thank you, opt for reusables. Keep in mind these items will end up in landfills and stay there FOREVER.

Reduce. Reduce the amount of plastic products you purchase: Opt for package-free, compostable and recyclable alternatives, like bamboo or other plant-based produce, this reduces the amount of plastic ending up in our oceans.  

Reuse. Start reusing and repairing items instead of buying brand new. Swap single-use items with reusables and save money and waste by mending broken items. Buying a refillable water bottle will have a great impact on the plastic that we waste,  and when it comes to batteries, ditch disposable and buy reusable!

Recycle. Maintain a closed-loop system by recycling as much as you can. Use external recycling facilities that accept hard to recycle items that cannot be recycled by your curbside collection programs, such as light bulbs, batteries, electronics and soft plastics.

Rot. Composting your food scraps not only provides you with nutrient-rich fertiliser for your garden, but it also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by landfill. You can set up your own compost bin at home or take any waste to a local compost site.

Here’s a simple step by step guide on how you can set up your own compost recycle bin.

Help give back to our environment by calculating your carbon footprint using the suggested link below:

https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

By doing this you can see how many trees you need to replace your carbon footprint and purchase carbon offsets.

In addition to changing your day-to-day habits, exercising your rights as a citizen is one of the most significant things you can do to help save our planet.

A carbon footprint is powerful and we underestimate the impact our personal behaviour has on global warming. Most people are shocked when they see the amount of carbon dioxide their daily activities create! If you want to help stop global warming, be mindful with your decisions, calculate and monitor your carbon footprint.

Every one of us counts, you can make a difference!