|  | Public Health Safety | Community

Ideas to Reduce a Carbon Footprint

Many activities that you perform in your daily life can contribute CO2 gases to the atmosphere. The amount of these gases that an individual contributes is known as his "carbon footprint." Implementing both environmentally-friendly ways of consuming and efficient habits in energy and water usage can help reduce your carbon footprint, and consequently, your impact on the Earth's climate.

  1. Reduce

    • There are many ways in which you can reduce material consumption. Global Stewards.org suggests you can commit to not buying as many new products. Local garage and consignment sales and the Internet are sources of information about buying used furniture, electronics, and clothing. Use microfiber rags for cleaning and cloth napkins for dining instead of paper products. This will help to reduce paper waste and save trees. Another way to save paper is to read newspapers and magazines online and contact marketing associations to have your name removed from mailing lists.

    Reuse

    • There are many items around your home that can be reused or repurposed. For example, you can buy rechargeable batteries and a battery recharger. Items such as cell phones, eyeglasses, and canned goods can be donated. When shopping, bring your own reusable bags made of canvas or post-recyclable material, instead of using plastic ones.

    Recycle

    • By recycling items you no longer need, you reduce your carbon footprint. Many items, including paper, plastic, glass, aluminum and electronics can be recycled. Half of the trash sent to landfills is paper, notes the nonprofit DoSomething.org on its website, and 25 million trees per year could be saved if Americans recycled one-tenth of the paper that is thrown in the trash. It takes at least 4,000 years for a glass bottle to decompose, but if it is recycled, it can be used to make new glass-based products. Don't throw away that old cell phone; the energy savings from recycling one million cell phones would power nearly 2,000 American homes with electricity for one year.

    Conserve Energy

    • The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) offers several energy-saving tips. When you are not charging electronics, unplug the chargers. It is also a good idea to unplug appliances such as toasters and blenders when you are not using them. If you use a computer during the day, enable energy-saving settings such as "sleep" and "hibernate," which use less power when the computer is not in use. Set your thermostat to 78 degrees in summer; 68 in winter. The simplest idea of all: turning off the lights whenever you leave a room.

    Save and Protect Water

    • At home, install low-flow showerheads and toilets to reduce water waste. Alternatively, place a toilet dam in your toilet tank; this can save 13,000 gallons of water a year for a family of four, notes the NRDC. Contact your local sanitation department to find out when and where to dispose of hazardous household waste such as cleaning products and paints. These should not be rinsed down drains, because they may enter area water supplies. Replace toxic chemicals with nontoxic ones when possible.

Community - Related Articles