Reducing Carbon Emissions at Home
As concerns over global warming continue to rise, Americans are encouraged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adopt a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. One of the most environmentally friendly responses to widespread global warming concerns is reducing a Carbon Footprint. Defined by Be Green, a division of Green Mountain Energy, as the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities (e.g. transportation, electricity, home energy, etc.), Carbon Footprints represent an excellent opportunity to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and help preserve the environment.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates nearly 9,000 lbs of CO2 per person per year are emitted from homes across the U.S. The three biggest sources of these greenhouse gas emissions are electricity use, heating and waste. Coming directly from the home, electricity use and heating are the easiest of these emissions to reduce.
Lowering thermostats by two degrees in the winter and raising them two degrees in the summer can save 2,000 lbs of CO2 and $98 a year, according to StopGlobalWarming.org. Installing a programmable thermostat reduces CO2 emissions by 1,800 lbs a year and can save $100 in annual energy costs. To further reduce the home’s carbon footprint, install double pane windows and have the entire home insulated.
Among U.S. households, greenhouse gas emissions from electricity are nearly double those associated with heating, according to the EPA. StopGlobalWarming.org offers a significant number of options for reducing this carbon footprint component. If every American household replaced three light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, they would not only save $60 annually, but would reduce their household CO2 emissions by 300 lbs each year. Leaving blinds open to make use of natural light is another alternative to emission generating light bulbs. Make sure electronics are turned off when not in use and unplugged, if possible, to further decrease emissions.
Greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste are primarily generated by the landfills that receive garbage; however, households can help by doing more recycling. Reducing garbage by 25% can save 1,000 lbs of CO2 emissions each year. Going one step further and recycling aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastic, cardboard and newspapers can reduce a home’s yearly emissions by another 850 lbs, according to the EPA State and Local Climate Change Program.
Transportation is another area to target when working to reduce a carbon footprint. Cars are the second largest carbon emissions producer, generating 1.1 billion tons of CO2emissions each year, according to the National Resources Defense Council. Simple changes like walking or biking to work, instead of driving, will significantly reduce a carbon footprint. If distance prevents walking or biking, carpooling is another great alternative. This idea can also be transferred to transporting children to school and extracurricular activities. Reducing CO2emissions from transportation can even be as simple as running errands near one another at the same time instead of making multiple trips. When driving, make sure tires are properly inflated and air filters are changed monthly. Driving with properly inflated tires saves 250 lbs CO2emissions annually and changing air filters monthly, another 800 lbs.
Surprisingly, individual and household carbon footprints are not the only areas for potential emission reduction. Consumption patterns, primarily what one buys, create a secondary carbon footprint. Fortunately, small changes in daily purchases can lead to a decreased secondary footprint. Buying locally grown products lowers CO2 emissions because the products require less transportation. Opting for organic is another footprint friendly option, as is bringing canvas bags to the store, which reduces waste and requires no additional energy use. To eliminate food transport emissions, try growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs.
While simple, no cost changes can be made at home, other carbon footprint reducing initiatives require a significant upfront investment. Check with your local government for rebates and incentives associated with energy efficient and environmentally friendly home improvements and hybrid transportation. To further reduce CO2 emissions, make use of online Carbon Footprint Calculators, designed to make your household more environmentally friendly.
Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Story?id=2049304&page=1
http://begreennow.com/pages/green_glossary
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/minimisecfp.html
http://www.thecarbonfund.org
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_home.html
http://reference.aol.com/nowyouknow/culture/_a/top-12-ways-you-can-reduce-global/20050729163209990001
http://stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_actionitems.asp
http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming.nsf/UniqueKeyLookup/SHSU5BPKVH/$File/climatesmarttips.pdf
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