Small Ways To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Written by: Fiona Sipple

Global warming is a true issue that faces society today, even in our own community. By counteracting some of your carbon emissions, you can diminish your carbon footprint and be the change that Mother Earth so desperately needs. There are many aspects in your life where you can cut back, such as the food you eat, home energy, and travel.

Driving

If you find yourself needing to be somewhere close to home, walking or biking is the better option not only for our planet, but for your health. Carpooling as well as taking public transportation can be another way to distribute carbon emissions among more people. Even small things, like running all of your errands in one trip on one day can cut down on CO2!

Reducing Home Energy

When you are not in a certain room or not using any light in that room, you can turn it off. The next time a light needs to be changed, suggest trying LED lights. Sometimes, just turning off the air conditioning and opening up a few windows can be more efficient. Investing in solar panels is another way to reduce carbon emissions, while they may be costly in the end, you get free energy from the sun which pays itself off.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint from Food  

By eating locally grown or organic food, you are helping to cut down on CO2 from production and food transportation. Cutting down on your beef and dairy intake is another great way to help the environment, as cows take up the largest amount of farming land in the United States. Due to their diets, cows burp out small amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas that deteriorates the Earth's atmosphere.

Other Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Simple things such as recycling paper and plastic bottles can not only lessen your carbon footprint, but also cut back on the amount of litter. Approximately 29% of greenhouse gas emissions is from the provision of goods and the transportation of goods. By recycling, the need to extract resources from the Earth decreases.

It’s Up to You

There is always something that can be done to protect the environment. By taking steps to reduce your carbon emissions, it makes you aware of the effect that every single person has on the planet and helps you be more conscious when making every day decisions.