It is no secret that the average person has bad energy habits that result in a large carbon footprint. However, everyone is capable of learning better habits to create a more sustainable world.
For the average person, many of these changes are common sense, but sometimes not everyone sees the importance. In fact, it is quite common to believe that you cannot make a difference.
But that is simply not true.
Here are some simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
Limit Your Traveling
How many times have you left the house, came back, and remembered you forgot something? While this may seem harmless, every trip you take with your car releases carbon into the atmosphere.
With better planning, you can reduce the number of trips you take. This will not only help the environment but also save you gas money.
If you commute to work every day, you should consider carpooling or using public transportation. The less you drive and travel, the less of an impact you will have.
If you want to become healthier, you could always ride a bike to work. In fact, a recent study shows around 800,000 people riding their bikes to work every day.
Eat Local
It is often overlooked how far a food product travels before it reaches you. While not every city or town has a local farm, many do and you should take full advantage of it.
Eating locally helps lower the demand for certain products and as a result, the shipments become less frequent. Again, vehicles release carbon into the atmosphere, and delivery trucks are the worst offenders of that.
Of course, the types of food you choose to eat will also have an impact.
This is why a lot of people will go to local farmer’s markets. Even the most populated cities have these areas where you can pick up fresh produce and find excellent foods. Some may even sell hand-made sauces, herbs and much more.
Unplug It
The energy sector plays a major role in greenhouse gas emissions, and you can help lower it. Let’s be honest just about everything in our house requires electricity. But did you know that even when an appliance is off, it still draws power?
This is known as a phantom load. For example, when you turn a television on, it’s pretty quick nowadays. That is because televisions are constantly drawing energy so that it can turn on quicker or update while they are off.
The only way to stop this is by unplugging it. This trick can help you reduce your energy bill and carbon footprint.
Avoid Single-Use Plastics
Unfortunately, our world has been relying on single-use plastics for too long. However, this trend is changing slowly over time.
For example, when you go to a grocery or department store, it is more common today to bring your own bags, which are reusable.
Not only are these better for the environment, but many of these are also designed to keep your frozen and refrigerated goods cool for a longer period of time.
Similarly, reusable cups to store water or coffee are quite common. This helps reduce the number of plastic cups each establishment needs.
Simple, But Effective
None of these will require any drastic lifestyle changes but can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Of course, there is one final tip that you should absolutely follow.
Tell your friends.
Seriously, people are more likely to pick up green practices from their friends and family members. In theory, this can have a ripple effect and help create a community that is environmentally conscious.
