Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Buying offsets to balance your carbon emissions is important. However, there are other things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.
Your Home or Business:
- Purchase blocks of renewable or green electricity from your energy provider.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL).
- Purchase ENERGY STAR equipment and appliances.
- Purchase furniture made of wood that has been sustainably forested.
- Unplug any unused appliances or equipment.
- Get a home energy audit to identify ways to improve energy efficiency of your home or business.
- Implement as many of the energy audit recommendations as feasibly possible.
- Plant trees and shrubs around your home or business.
- Install and use a programmable thermostat.
- Set your thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter.
Your automobile:
- Think before you drive - look for alternatives like mass transit, biking, walking, and carpooling.
- Plan ahead and combine trips to the store or other destinations.
- Purchase a more fuel-efficient car.
- Slow down and get better fuel mileage.