Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

10 Steps to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by Jer Sheahan

The average person emits 4.3 tons of carbon dioxide every year. However the typical American will emit 20 tons every year!

This is a short list of 10 actions that you can begin to take immediately to start reducing your impact on the environment. In the modern world nearly every single thing we do contributes to Global Warming. Try to implement these steps into your life. Remember it takes two weeks to form a habit so stick with it at the beginning. The idea is we all take responsibility for improving the environment and securing our future. Remember everyone has their part to play, no matter how small it might seem.

Things to do at home to cut my carbon output:

1. Fit energy saving light bulbs. The typical light bulb has not changed its design in over a hundred years. Its outdated and costs you money and wastes energy. The European union would like to phase out the use of common incandescent light bulbs for domestic use within two years as part of its strategy to combat climate change. The initiative could cut carbon emissions by about 20-25 million tons a year - and save €5 billion-€10 billion annually in domestic fuel bills. Think about it If you change just 3 light bulbs to compact fluorescent this year, you will save 136 kg of CO2

2. Replace your old fridge or dryer and ensure that it has the energy efficient A rating. Old equipment does not conserve energy – that costs you money and wastes energy.

3. Turn down you Central heating by one degree. A 1 degree reduction can mean a 10% reduction in your heating bill. You wont notice a one degree drop in temperature but I am sure you will notice a 10% drop in your heating bills.

4. When you go to the shops make sure you have a shopping list that will cover you for the next 5-7 days. Plan ahead and you can spend more time doing what you want; plus you don’t drive to the shops every night and that makes a big contribution to reducing your carbon output.

5. Buy local produce. When your steak is flown in ten thousand miles to your local supermarket its going to have one hell of a carbon footprint. Your local producer may be marginally more expensive but if you want to make a contribution then buy local. In the long run it helps you, your local farmer and the environment.

Things to do outside my home to cut my carbon output:

1. Plant trees in your own garden or sponsor trees to be planted in you or your family’s name. There is a reason trees are the referred to as the earth’s lungs. Do your bit to keep the planet breathing. Planting a tree native to your region in your garden can save 2,268 kg CO2 per year.

2. As often as possible take the option to walk. If you drive short distances but still insist on getting a diet coke your missing the point in more ways than one. Walk rather than drive and keep the planet and your body healthy.

3. When you stay at a hotel do take advantage of their replace used towels only policy. If its not dirty then why should it be washed?

4. At work turn off your PC at the end of the day. You don’t need to have it on 24/7 to do your job. Each PC consumes about 2.15 cents/hr (@ $0.01656/watt/hr). It does not sound like a lot but when your company has 5,000 pcs it doesn’t take long before this begins to impact.

5. When it comes to replacing your car think of going with diesel. Its cheaper and you get a high level of performance. Compare your vehicle’s mile to the gallon consumption with an Abrahams tank. If they are in the same area should you not so something about it. Remember a kilogram of petrol, diesel, kerosene and the like in a vehicle leads to approximately 3.15 kg of CO2 emissions.

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