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101 Tips to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- Replace your regular light bulbs with LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs. LED bulbs are much better than CFL (Compact Fluorescent) bulbs because they use less energy, have less toxic ingredients, and they last forever.
- Use rechargeable batteries. Cost has gone down significantly and life span has increased so if you tried them once and were disappointed try them again.
- Buy as many locally made goods as possible. If you buy vegetables and fruits when they're in season from local vendors, you can freeze them and use them when needed throughout the year.
- Recycle your garbage. Newspapers, magazines, glass, and plastics are all becoming easier to recycle.
- If you're thinking of upgrading, buy a car that gets good gas mileage. Modern, efficient cars are available at great prices.
- Recycle your garden and kitchen waste. There are lots good compost recipes available on the web and the piles only take up a small space in your backyard. Your worms are sure to thank you!
- Filter your own water. Studies have shown that most bottled waters you can buy in your grocery store have the same quality as tap water so instead, why not save money by getting a filter for your sink or fridge.
- Clean the lint filter of your dryer and your filter for your furnace. Clogged filters don't work properly and cause you to spend money on wasted electrical energy.
- Mow the lawn and don't bag the grass clippings. The mower will spread the grass clippings and they will help fertilize the lawn when they decompose.
- Use an electric or battery powered mower. Gas powered mowers, as well as gas air blowers and trimmers, are a curse against the environment. A single gas powered mower pollutes the same as 25 cars.
- Use your own mug to go to a coffee shop. There is no reason to use those paper mugs.
- In warmer months, use a clothesline when you can versus using the dryer. This will save you tons of money on your electricity bill.
- Use your dryer and dishwasher when they are full. It takes the same amount of energy to clean or dry half a load as it does for a full load.
- Plant trees to the block the summer sun. That way you will have to depend less on air-conditioning in the summer and a tree will sequester up to 2.5 tonnes of carbon. How perfect is that?
- Reduce the use of plastic bags by purchasing some inexpensive, reusable bags from your grocery store or favorite shopping stores. Most reusable bags cost as little as a nickel!
- Use Energy Star rated appliances in your home. You will save a lot of electricity or gas, which will save you tons of money in the long run.
- Recycle left over paint. Don't let the half a can go to waste in your garage. Take it to a recycling depot and they can find a new home for the paint.
- Travel light. There is no need to travel with your whole closet in tow. The more the plane has to lift, the more fuel it uses getting you to your destination.
- Walk or ride your bicycle whenever possible. It's better for your health and better for your wallet!
- Use public transportation when available. While your SUV may be fun for a weekend trip to the beach, you don't have to drive it to work!
- Use the Internet to read the news. It's free and usually comes in much more detail. Plus, chances are, you will get more than one point of view.
- Reduce your consumption of red meat. Cows generate huge amounts of waste and CO2.
- Unplug or turn off electronic devices when not in use. Things like computers and battery chargers use electricity even when they aren't in use!
- Use both sides of copy paper.
- Use solar powered lights when practical.
- Use timers or motion detectors for your outdoor lights. You get the same result with less electricity usage!
- Rake your leaves or shovel snow rather than using gas powered units.
- Plant your own vegetables when possible.
- Use laptops rather than desktops. Desktops use much more energy and are less versatile.
- Buy secondhand goods and clothing when feasible. They are often a fraction of the cost of buying new and are usually just as good.
- Adjust your heating thermostat a few degrees cooler in the winter. A few degrees lower is usually not even noticeable and you will save a lot of money and electricity.
- Insulate you hot water tank. It will help to keep the water heated in your tank so you'll waste less energy on re-heating your water.
- Upgrade the insulation of your home to something newer and more efficient. No use heating the great outdoors!
- Make sure all windows and doors are well sealed against air leakage.
- Open your south facing curtains during the day and close the curtains at night to keep your home cooler in warmer months.
- Open your windows during the night and early morning and close them during the hottest hours of the day so that your air conditioning unit will have less work to do cooling your home.
- Operate ceiling fans instead of using the air conditioning. This will save you a lot of money and emissions.
- Use cold water to wash your clothes. For most loads, it works the same and it will also save your clothes from shrinking and bleeding their colors!
- Keep your car tires inflated to the recommended pressures so that you car gets the most out of the gas it is using.
- Shower more and bath less. A quick run through the shower uses less water than a tub filled to the brim with bubbles and hot soapy water!
- Switch off the lights in a room as you leave it. Not much sense in lighting a place no one is using!
- Close the heat registers and turn off in-room heaters when those rooms are not in use.
- Boil a kettle for tea or make coffee using the amount of water you are actually going to use.
- Use the top racks of the oven so that most of the energy will be closer to the item cooking.
- Turn off the furnace or air conditioner if you are not going to be home for a few days.
- Use a toaster rather than a grill to make toast.
- Use a casserole dish or pressure cooker as often as possible.
- Use green power (solar, wind, and geothermal) whenever possible.
- Use the hot water cycle in your dishwasher to dry your dishes rather than the electric element.
- Share car rides and carpool whenever possible to save on gas and also on carbon emissions.
- Take holidays close to home.
- Use a low water flow showerhead. It gets the same job done with less water!
- Drive at the speed limit. You get the best fuel mileage when you aren't speeding!
- If renting a car, use one powered by bio-diesel or one that is a hybrid.
- Remove your car's roof rack when not in use. They produce significant drag on a car increasing your car's gas consumption.
- Reuse ZipLocs or plastic sandwich and freezer baggies.
- Buy food in bulk and store it in sealed containers for future use.
- Fix dripping taps and faucets as soon as possible to prevent waste.
- Turn water off when you aren't using it when washing dishes in a sink.
- Insulate your water pipes.
- Don't leave your faucet on when brushing your teeth. Turn it on only for rinsing to keep from wasting water.
- Use a car wash to wash your cars and trucks. They recycle the water they use.
- Don't overfill pots and pans with water when cooking.
- Collect rainwater for use in the garden to water your plants and veggies.
- Use a dishwasher rather than washing dishes by hand. Dishwashers are much more efficient.
- Donate your used clothing and goods. Others will have a chance to use them and you get a tax deduction.
- If you have radiant heat, place a reflective insulator between the heater and the wall so the heat is reflected into the room.
- Place insulation below the chimney vent so that warm air will not go up the chimney. Make sure you remove it before reusing the fireplace.
- Service your furnace regularly to ensure it is operating properly and efficiently.
- Reduce the number of your shopping trips. Depend on lists to make sure you get the things you need.
- If you use electric blankets make sure to turn them off when they aren't in use.
- Make sure your curtains are closed at night to help lock heat or cool air into your home.
- Use recycled paper whenever possible such as recycled copy paper for your printers and fax machines.
- Use lighting over specific areas and not the whole room.
- Make sure your refrigerator and oven seals are in good condition and correctly placed to help prevent the waste of electricity.
- Don't put hot dishes into your fridge or freezer. They will dramatically raise the temperature and your fridge or freezer will have to work that much harder to get the temperature back to where it is supposed to be.
- Use lids on your pots and pans when in use. You will use less energy to cook your food.
- Use a trigger sprayer on a hose so that you will waste less water.
- Compost your vegetable waste.
- Avoid patio heaters if possible.
- Ask your employer if you can work from home more often. The less you drive into work, the less emissions you produce!
- Avoid packages with multiple plastic layers.
- Drive in non-peak driving hours. You will use less gas and have shorter commutes!
- Use wood chips to help trap water in your gardens so will have to water less to keep your plants hydrated.
- Use cloth hand towels and napkins that are reusable instead of the paper versions that have to be thrown away after each use.
- Use a drain water heat recovery pipe.
- Take advantage of daylight hours as much as possible. Install sunrooms and skylights. Make sure they are installed correctly so they don't leak.
- Drive smoothly and safely. This will save you money, as you will use less fuel and have lower insurance premiums.
- Make sure that you clean out your car. Additional weight for items you don't need causes you to spend more money at the gas pump.
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