Global Average Carbon Footprint: 4 Tons vs. US Average: 16 Tons

7 Effective Strategies for Reducing Carbon Footprint Today

Carbon Footprint 

The total amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane that we enter into the atmosphere is carbon footprint. A person's carbon footprint in the US is 16 tons on average. It is among the highest rates globally. On the other hand, the average carbon footprint across the world for a person is 4 tons. Reducing carbon footprint is important for us because it has many adverse impacts on the environment. For example, it leads to global warming and climate change. It is also changing the weather patterns. These things are creating various risks for human beings and all other living things on the earth. Here, we will discuss some tips for reducing carbon footprint.

Drive Less
Driving a vehicle is one of the major sources of emitting greenhouse gases. If you cut down your driving miles, you can reduce the carbon emission. As a result, it leads to a reduction in carbon emissions. You can do it in various ways. For example, you can organize your shopping trips. When you buy more things on each outing, you will save extra miles of driving. You can walk for the shorter distances. Instead of using the car for shorter distances, you can use a bike. The use of public transport can also save extra emissions of greenhouse gases in the environment.

Insulate Your Home for Reducing Carbon Footprint
No doubt, you will have to heat or cool down your living space. It is an expensive and energy-intensive process. If you are not using insulations in the living space, you can’t retain heat. As a result, you will use more energy for heating and cooling your living space. This thing also leads to the addition of an extra amount of greenhouse gases in the environment. For reducing carbon footprint, we have to insulate our lofts and walls. This insulation will retain more heat during the winter. It will also cool down your living space in the summer. This thing can also reduce your household bills.

Use Less Water
The processing and delivery of water to homes require energy and resources. Before utilizing the water, you will have to heat it. It is also an energy-intensive task. Therefore, you should use less water. When you use less water, you can help the environment by reducing carbon footprint. You can adopt various habits for the reduction of water usage. For example, you can turn off taps while brushing your teeth. Having short showers rather than heavy baths can also lead to less water usage. Don’t boil the water when you don’t need it. These things can contribute to reducing carbon footprint.

Reducing Carbon Footprint Through Food
Reducing carbon footprint through food is also an essential method. You can start with eating less meat and sticking to fruits, vegetables, and grains. Its reason is that raising animals requires more energy than plants. The consumers should choose seasonal organic and local foods. This habit will minimize the amount of energy that we require for storing, processing, and distributing for the out season. By reducing food waste, you may also lessen your carbon footprint. We need energy for growing food. If we are wasting enough amount of food, we require more energy for growing this food. People should also reduce their carbon footprint by using reusable cups, plates, and bottles. On the other hand, if we are using disposable cups, plates, and bottles, we have to throw them after using them once. These habits will contribute to your carbon footprint.

Reducing Carbon Footprint at Home
We can alter our habits at home for reducing carbon footprint. For example, many people waste energy by leaving the lights on for several hours for nothing. They also leave the appliances plugged in after using them. These plugged-in appliances use energy all the time. As a result, we contribute to carbon footprints. Therefore, we should plug off all the energy-consuming appliances when they are not in use. Change incandescent light bulbs with LEDs or CFL bulbs. They require less energy and produce more heat. Getting and using water at home both require fossil fuels. These fossil fuels are the major sources of carbon footprints. One can easily reduce a carbon footprint just by reducing water usage. They can also reduce water usage by using low-flow showerheads. You may be using older appliances at home. These appliances should be replaced with energy-efficient appliances.

Reducing Carbon Footprint When Shopping
No doubt, we are living in a time of abundance. That’s why we have adopted a habit of buying things on a whim. You may not utilize all the things before their expiry dates. Therefore, you should buy only those things that you need. This simple habit will minimize your carbon footprint. Don’t use plastic bags to bring things home. These plastic bags are made by using fossil fuels. Moreover, they also add pollution to our environment. If you want to eliminate this waste, you can make use of the reusable bags. Invest in quality products rather than cheap and disposable products. You should not buy fast fashion. Its reason is that retailers utilize more energy and resources for their manufacturing and shipping. Moreover, they don’t last longer. We should also support those companies that are producing energy-efficient products.

Avoid Air Travel
Air travel contributes a large part of your carbon footprint. Therefore, you should avoid air travel for shorter trips and pleasure. Instead of air travel, you can cover this distance by road. It will emit fewer greenhouse gases than flying. Nonstop flying till landing can also contribute to more carbon footprints. You should also avoid flying nonstop till landing. If you can’t avoid air travel, you should choose economy class. Its reason is that the business class emits three times more greenhouse gases than the economy class. On the other hand, if you choose first class for air travel, it will emit nine times more greenhouse gases than economy class. At last, you should also offset the carbon emissions of your travel. It is also a good habit for reducing carbon footprint.

Conclusion
The emission of greenhouse gases through individual and organizational activities into the environment is a carbon footprint. It is creating some major problems for us like climate change and depletion of resources. That’s why you may be thinking about ways of reducing carbon footprint. You can do it by driving less and avoiding air travel. Eating less meat and choosing seasonal organic and local foods can also minimize your carbon footprint. People can also adopt some essential habits like using less water, turning off extra appliances, and utilizing energy-efficient appliances for reducing carbon footprint. They can also minimize it by buying only what they need.