The Earth’s climate is changing and a large cause of that is carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions. Americans have the highest average carbon footprint compared to those in other countries, releasing 16 tons of greenhouse gasses per year, which is much larger than the global average of 4 tons per year. We need to reduce our carbon footprints to work against these dramatic climate changes. Here, we’ll go over some ways to start lowering our carbon footprints.
First, Understand Your Carbon Footprint
The first step to reducing our carbon footprints is understanding them. Your Carbon footprint shows how much carbon (and other greenhouse gasses) that you emit based on your lifestyle choices. It is calculated based on things like energy usage and production, transportation choices, diet, shopping habits, waste habits, and more. Our beginner’s guide goes over what our carbon footprints are, how to calculate them, and what the future of carbon emissions is looking like.
Once you know your carbon footprint, you can pinpoint lifestyle changes that will help you cut back on your carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions. Here are some ways to reduce your carbon footprint:
1. Get Solar Panels To Reduce Your Reliance On Fossil Fuels
Installing solar panels dramatically decreases not only your carbon footprint, but your energy bills as well. The generation of solar energy is fossil-fuel free, which makes it one of the cleanest sources of energy available. Even the production of solar panels releases less carbon and greenhouse gasses than traditional fossil-fuel based energy.
Swapping to solar energy has a positive effect for everyone, but especially so for Massachusetts residents. Due to high electric rates and robust solar incentives, Massachusetts homes that install solar panels often see a return on investment faster than other regions, which means solar energy will reduce your carbon footprint and increase your savings at the same time. Solaris is here to help you get started on your solar journey.
2. Change Your Transportation To Consume Less Fossil Fuels
Americans are especially reliant on cars to get around, but gas engines produce a lot of carbon emissions, especially when we have a tendency to idle with our engines on or make several trips during the day.
If public transportation is possible, consider taking trains or buses instead of driving. Even better than public transportation, try biking or walking whenever you can. This can save you money on gas and completely eliminate your carbon emissions during travel.
If you do need to drive somewhere, focus on driving responsibly. Be easy on the gas, use cruise control where possible, and give yourself more time to accelerate; this will help reduce the amount of carbon that your engine produces. Additionally, keep your car up to date on maintenance, especially the tires. More traction means less work for your engine, which means less carbon emissions as well.
Consider getting an electric vehicle (EV) as well. Electric engines themselves don’t produce any carbon when running. Just be careful when charging them; try to find charging stations powered by clean energy. If you can charge without using electricity derived from fossil fuels, then your EV can definitely help reduce your carbon footprint.
Airplanes are also infamous contributors to carbon emissions. There’s not a particularly sustainable way to fly, so try to avoid taking a flight whenever possible. If you do need to fly, go for a direct flight instead of one with layovers. Direct flights tend to produce less carbon and will prevent your carbon footprint from increasing as much as possible.
3. Keep an Eye on Your Appliances
Keeping a close eye on your appliances can significantly reduce your overall carbon footprint and your monthly energy bills. Ghost electricity can drive up your bills and your carbon footprint. One of the easiest ways to reduce your energy usage (and ghost electricity) is to make sure lights, electronics, and appliances are shut off and unplugged when not in use.
Being wary of what appliances you use in your home is critical as well. You don’t have to replace big appliances like refrigerators or washing machines to make a difference – just changing the lights you use can make an impact. Consider swapping out older bulbs for LEDs, which consume up to 75% less electricity and light up your home just as well. During the day, try opening your blinds instead of turning on an overhead light to brighten your room.
Larger appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, and more can make a big difference, too. Consider swapping out older appliances for newer models with an Energy Star label. These products are certified to be energy efficient and not only use less energy, but are often better at doing their jobs as well. Newer appliances will consume less energy, reduce your carbon footprint, and your electricity bills as well.
4. Invest in Energy-Efficient HVAC Systems
Heating and air conditioning can make crucial contributions to your carbon footprint, so understanding and optimizing your HVAC system is imperative to reducing your carbon footprint. If your HVAC system relies on fossil-fuels to regulate your temperature, ensure that you keep up to date on its maintenance to avoid using more electricity and emitting more carbon than needed. Older models of HVAC systems can be contributing to climate change more than newer systems, especially if your older system was installed before 2010 when the R-22 refrigerant was still used in these systems. In 2010, research found that R-22 was doing significant damage to the ozone layer, therefore in all systems produced after 2010 R-22 was replaced with the less harmful R-410A. If you’re still running an old system, it could be increasing your carbon footprint much more than a newer system.
HVAC systems continue to get more efficient and thus better for the environment, so if you have an HVAC system, make sure you stay on top of its maintenance and updates. Alternative heating and cooling solutions like geothermal and solar heating can also reduce your carbon footprint more than an HVAC system. Also consider pairing your system with smart home technology to prevent unnecessary energy usage.
5. Invest in Smart Home Technology
Installing smart technology in your home is a substantial way to save energy and lower your carbon footprint. Devices like Span and Lumin allow you to control your appliances in real-time from any location. These devices also help you monitor your electricity usage and understand where you’re using the most energy to help you pinpoint where you might be able to cut down.
Water heaters can be one of the largest energy expenses for most households. Smart water heaters allow you to set what times you will need hot water, allowing you to save electricity and money while still having hot water when you need it. Additionally, water leak detectors can help you identify where you may be leaking and thus wasting water. Fixing these leaks quickly can make a positive impact on your carbon footprint.
If you have solar panels, consider using solar monitoring apps to identify when your solar panels produce the most energy. Run your high-electricity appliances (like washers and dryers) during these times. This will ensure that you are using your renewable energy for these tasks instead of relying on fossil-fuels for them.
6. Watch Your Thermostat
Heating and cooling your home can be a big culprit of increasing your carbon footprint. Consider setting your thermostat slightly higher in the summer and slightly lower in the winter. Small changes like that can still keep your home at a comfortable temperature while requiring less resources, thus lowering your carbon footprint.
Consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat. This will allow you to set your home to different temperatures depending on the time of day. A good idea during the winter is setting your home at a lower temperature while you are sleeping or out for the day to avoid wasting extra energy on heat that you will not be around to notice.
If you are finding that your home is losing or gaining heat quickly, take a look at your insulation. Properly insulated walls prevent heat from escaping in the winter and from entering in the summer. Make sure you properly insulate your home before the winter and summer months so you can keep your home at a comfortable temperature without consuming excess energy.
During the summer months, if you find yourself getting very hot in your house, try closing your blinds during the day. This will prevent the sunlight from heating the inside of your home and allow you to rely less on air conditioning to stay cool.
7. Change Your Eating Habits
Reducing your food waste is one of the best ways to eat more sustainably and reduce your carbon footprint. A lot of waste comes from people buying excess food that they don’t eat before it spoils. To reduce your waste, consider making specified grocery lists and avoid buying food that you didn’t add to it. If you find yourself with leftovers, try getting creative and making a new dish with them or consider donating the leftovers or giving them to a friend or neighbor.
Also ensure that you are properly storing your food. Keeping fruits and vegetables in airtight containers, as long as they are BPA-free, is a great way to keep them fresh. Mason jars are an example of a container that will keep your food fresh for longer.
Another tip is to try cutting some meat out of your diet. Meat processing is a huge contributor to carbon emissions, so replacing some meaty meals with more vegetables or grains can be a great way to lower your carbon footprint. Many people have been adopting meatless Mondays where they commit to a vegetarian or vegan diet on Mondays, which is a fun way to cut down on meat in your diet. If you transition from a diet that is usually meat-heavy, you can cut down on your personal carbon emissions by 15-30%.
8. Compost and Garden
If you have the space and sunlight to begin growing produce, consider making use of it. Your own personal garden allows you to have a steady income of fresh produce without relying on large grocery stores. Gardening will lower your carbon footprint and save you trips and money at the grocery store.
Starting a garden can seem stressful, so if you’re new to gardening, start small. Focus on planting one specific fruit or vegetable that you tend to eat or purchase a lot. Lettuce can be an excellent start, especially for Massachusetts residents. It can grow through the winter months and does not require a lot of maintenance. Tomatoes are also an easy starting plant. They are low-maintenance and thrive in the summer months.
If you don’t have the space for a personal garden, see if your neighborhood has any shared gardens. Shared gardens are spaces that multiple residents can use to plant and harvest crops. Usually, each person using the shared garden gets a small plot and anything you plant in your assigned plot is yours to harvest and take home. Community gardens are a great way to collectively lower carbon footprints and bring your community together.
Composting is another fantastic way to help you reduce your food waste and carbon footprint. If you find yourself with food scraps that you can’t rework into a new dish or donate, throw it into a compost bin. Composting creates nutrient rich organic matter that can be used in soil for your garden to help plants grow. Combining vegetable or other food scraps with dry leaves, twigs, paper, etc. and clean water creates compost that can be used in your home garden. The EPA has a composting at home guide to help you get started on your first composting bin.
9. Consume Carefully and Consciously
Always practice conscious consumerism. Do your best to shop locally, especially when you are shopping for food like produce. Farmer stands often have the exact same products as your larger grocery stores. Purchasing from local farmer stands or farmer markets not only reduces your carbon footprint, but it also supports your local community and can lead to you having fresher food in your meals.
For products that you can’t get from local stands or markets, try purchasing from companies that commit to creating less waste. There are many grocery stores popping up that are dedicated to being zero waste. These stores often offer alternatives to products that pollute our environment; many of them offer products like beeswax wrap which can be used in place of plastic wrap. The beeswax wrap can be washed and reused instead of being thrown out. They also allow you to bring your own containers into the store to prevent customers from leaving with new trash caused by food packaging. Consider shopping from these stores to reduce the waste you produce in your everyday life.
Try to avoid purchasing products that have more packaging than necessary. Many large companies package products with single-use plastics. These plastics are not biodegradable and take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose. This creates a lot of unneeded waste and pollutes our planet, increasing our carbon footprints. Opt for products with packaging that you can recycle, and if you can’t recycle it, see if there are any other uses for that packaging in your home. There are plenty of ways to reuse old packaging and transform them into fun home DIYs.
10. Shop Secondhand
Wanting or needing to buy new things is inevitable, but it’s important to consider how you go about your shopping. Many stores mass-produce products in factories that emit tons of carbon (literally) on a daily basis. Purchasing directly from these stores encourages them to continue these unsustainable practices.
If you’re looking for new clothes, consider going to Goodwill or Savers instead of the mall. For furniture, Facebook Marketplace has great secondhand options. You can often find new products that may not be in stores anymore. Secondhand shopping is usually much more affordable than a normal shopping trip, allowing you to buy a lot more for a lot less while lowering your carbon footprint at the same time.
Consider donating clothing that you don’t wear anymore, too. Donating your clothes to secondhand stores allows more people to shop sustainably and lower their carbon footprints as well.
11. Educate Others on Climate Change
Try contacting your state representative or governor’s office to discuss environmental changes and the lowering of our carbon footprints. Expressing concerns for these issues is an effective way to influence state officials into funding projects that will help us go green and reduce our carbon emissions on a larger scale. Additionally, if you notice one of your favorite companies making unsustainable decisions, reach out to them with your concerns. Hearing feedback from customers can be one of the best ways to get a company to strive to change.
Keep talking about your carbon footprint and encourage others to do the same. Raising awareness about our changing climate and the causes behind it is a principal step in solving it. Just understanding what your carbon footprint is can cause us to make more sustainable decisions in our daily life. Many of these changes to reduce our carbon footprints may seem small, but many small changes add up to a huge difference. Stay connected with Solaris to keep discussing what you can do to be greener in your daily life.
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