The average American’s carbon footprint is 16 tons of carbon-equivalent emissions annually, which is 12 tons more than the global average.
To calculate your carbon footprint, you’ll need to measure the following:
Approximately how many miles you travel by car, bus, train, and plane
The energy usage in your home
What types and how much food you consume
Shopping habits
Protecting the environment and creating a better future are obvious benefits to reducing your carbon footprint. Even the smallest changes – perhaps swapping your current showerhead for a water-saving one, or turning the lights off when you leave a room – can make a big difference towards helping the environment in the long term.
So, when the weather is beautiful, maybe pull out the list of Honey-Do items and consider these ways to reduce your home's carbon footprint:
Insulate your Home (walls, attic, drafts under cabinets, doors needing weatherstripping)
Switch to renewable options (solar is the big one here, but I'll bet it's been a while since you reviewed energy policies and options your supplier provides)
Energy-efficient upgrades - If you've got something that needs to be replace, opt for Green
Use less water! - This one is sneaky, and something we can ALL improve upon (fixing leaks asap, running the dishwasher full, install a rain barrel for catchment)
Turn off your lights and unplug devices
Go Digital and recycle - Find yourself throwing statements away? Opt for e-delivery
Waste less food and composte (buying what you need, not shopping with a hungry stomach)
