How to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint

Every activity that we perform, from turning on a lightbulb to driving a car, produces emissions that are harmful to the environment----also called a carbon footprint. By making some simple lifestyle changes, we can reduce our carbon footprint and our harmful impact on the environment, and even save money

Instructions

• 1

  Create a recycling system at home and recycle all possible glass, metal, plastic and paper products. A recycling system will make recycling easier and create an earth-friendly habit that can help reduce our carbon footprint.

• 2

  Replace incandescent lightbulbs with energy-efficient compact-fluorescent bulbs. Not only do they use significantly less electricity (which can save you money and is good for the environment), but they also need to be replaced less frequently.

• 3

  Maintain your home's heating and cooling systems. Inefficient systems consume more energy, use more natural resources and pollute the environment, which adds to our carbon footprint.

• 4

  Perform routine maintenance on your vehicle. A well-maintained vehicle uses less gas and produces fewer emissions that are harmful to the environment.

• 5

  Look for the Energy Star tag when purchasing new appliances, heating and cooling systems, windows and other home improvement items. Products that have earned the Energy Star label have met strict standards and guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

• 6

  Unplug any appliance that is not in use. Even when an appliance is not turned on, it draws energy called "phantom power." This means that even though the device is not in use, it is still drawing power from the electrical outlet.

• 7

  Plant a tree to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Trees are natural air filters because they convert the carbon dioxide we produce into oxygen.