Easy changes you can make to promote a more sustainable lifestyle.
What is a “carbon footprint”?
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases that are generated by our actions. From using plastic products, to simply turning on our electricity, we are all mindlessly increasing our carbon footprint each and every day. Below I describe a few easy ways that you can decrease your carbon footprint and start living a more sustainable lifestyle.
Every little thing matters if we want to move towards a brighter future for our planet!
Metal Straws
One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to move away from single-use plastic products by substituting plastic straws for metal straws. According to national averages, each person in the U.S. uses around 38,000 plastic drinking straws between the ages of 5 and 65. That’s a lot of plastic straws… Straws are not only extremely harmful to marine life (yes, let’s save the turtles!) but their production also releases billions of kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Ideally, the world would move away from the use of straws altogether, however, using metal straws is the best option for now. Metal straws are easy to clean, and actually keep drinks colder, elevating the whole experience of your iced latte. By keeping your metal straws easily accessible, you can reduce your level of plastic waste, your carbon footprint, and inspire others to do the same!
Composting
Composting is another amazing way to reduce your carbon footprint! I have written two blog entries about composting, so go to the page titled “Blog” to read those.
Reduce Plastic Waste
You can cut down on using plastic products in a few simple steps: use reusable bags when you shop, avoid single-use water bottles, bags, and straws (see my entry above). Additionally, when shopping you can avoid products made from or packaged in plastic (e.g., select unwrapped produce at the grocery store)!
Be Water Wise
The demand on water sources and the frequency of droughts is higher than ever, therefore water conservation is key. Using bottled water less is a great place to start, but there are many other methods as well. To help conserve water, you can take shorter showers, fix leaky toilets, and choose low-flow and low-water appliance options. This will not only cut down on water waste, but on your water bill as well! Lastly, you may also consider using native, drought-adapted plants that require less water in your home garden. These plants are wonderful as they require less maintenance over time and also provide a habitat for birds and bees.
Drive Less and Drive Green
We can all begin to reduce our carbon footprint by driving less; get started by walking, biking, carpooling or using public transportation whenever possible. Of course, all of us must rely on cars as modes transportation at various points throughout the week. Even when using a car, you can increase your fuel efficiency by maintaining your car with tune-ups and keeping your tires properly inflated. Interestingly, (Name where you got this reference) reports that tune-ups can increase fuel efficiency by 4 percent to 40 percent. Similarly, (Name where you got this reference) found that if every American kept their tires properly inflated, gas use would decrease by 2 percent nationwide.
Use Your Voice and Vote
Get involved in your community to tackle the environmental issues that you personally face. By reading up on local government candidates, you can vote for those with strong and effective environmental platforms that will have a direct ipmact on the community. In addition to going to the voting booth, you can sign action alerts (explain what these are), attend community gatherings on environmental issues and talk to your neighbors and friends about tangible solutions your community can implement to help tackle climate change.