Things You'll Need:
- Decrease your carbon footprint
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Step 1
To start to go green and reduce your carbon footprint, remember to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. These three words are applicable to a wide variety of things and situations.
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Step 2
Change all of your standard incandescent light bulbs in your home to compact fluorescent bulbs. Also, set your thermostat a few degrees higher in the summer and a few degrees lower in the winter.
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Step 3
Unplug gadgets and appliances when you're not using them. All these appliances continue to draw electricity even when they are switched to the off position. You can also find out if your power supplier offers green energy credits or a way to purchase your electricity through a green or clean energy supplier.
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Step 4
Another big thing to reduce your carbon footprint and go green is to drive your car less or carpool. Try to walk, bike, and use public transportation more often and when feasible.
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Step 5
When copying and printing at work, always copy and print on both sides of the paper. Use two-sided copying and printing option. This will cut down on wasted paper, and will decrease the amount of new paper that needs to be purchased. Don't print things out unless absolutely necessary. Backup files on your computer using multiple electronic methods and locations. Don't print out every email you receive. If you still have old one-sided sheets of paper around, use them for printing, copying, or as a notepad for taking notes. And always recycle paper rather than throwing it in the trash.
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Step 6
Try eating smaller portions at mealtimes and eating less meat each week. If you're a coffee drinker and like stopping through a drive-thru coffee shop each day, then try brewing your own coffee at home and bringing it with you in a reusable thermos. Also, don't use disposable cups, plates, or utensils in your kitchen.
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Step 7
A major decision to go green and reduce your carbon footprint is to stop buying and drinking bottled water. Drink tap water instead. Bottled water is very wasteful on many different levels. In fact, bottled water can cost up to 10,000 times more per unit than the same amount of tap water. Bottled water is also an industry with a huge carbon footprint left by the entire process, from the manufacturing of the bottles, to the shipping of the bottled water, to the waste produced by disposed bottles. In most developed countries, tap water is cheap, safe, clean, adheres to higher standards, and tastes just fine. If you don't like the taste of your tap water, then install a filter or purchase a pitcher with a filter for tap water. Both options will quickly be much cheaper than buying bottled water, and there are many filters and devices available on the market. When you would would normally take bottled water with you somewhere, bring a reusable container of tap water instead.
Comments
kims3003 said
on 11/20/2009 WELL THOUGHT OUT AND WELL WRITTEN A+++++
bjt004 said
on 7/22/2009 Thanks for sharing with us who like decrease waste whenever possible.
Rockney said
on 7/16/2009 Great advice! 5*!
karileighk said
on 7/16/2009 This is great!
kriswrite said
on 6/25/2009 If you don't want to/can't drink tap water, or want a better way to take water with you, there's something called IceBox water. It's water in a cardboard container (kind of like milk is sometimes sold). The container is 100% recyclable (and naturally turns into compost, even if left in a landfill), is from sustainable forests, and is printed with vegetable dye. Good stuff!