lupine in bloom 

Easy Things You Can Do

 

What’s a carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gas emissions released by human activities. Carbon dioxide is produced when fossil fuels—such as coal, oil, and natural gas—are burned and is the primary greenhouse gas that is causing global climate change.



 

Avoid. Reduce. Offset.

What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint? First, do what you can to avoid producing greenhouse gas emissions. Second, when you do something that produces greenhouse gases, find the most energy efficient way to do it. Finally, once you have done all you can, consider offsetting your carbon footprint with Canary Tags or a similar program.

 

 

 

 

10 Easy  Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

 

1) Vehicles: Buy smart, drive smart

Before buying a new or used vehicle, check out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Vehicle Guide. This website compares the emissions and fuel economy of different vehicles.

 

Improve your gas mileage

  • Accelerate gradually.
  • Avoid idling. The best way to warm up vehicles is to turn them on and drive. Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more gas than turning your vehicle off and then back on again.
  • Remove unnecessary cargo.
  • Check your tire pressure. Under-inflation increases tire wear, reduces your fuel economy by up to 3 percent, and leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

 

Better yet, give your car or truck a break!

One of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to use alternative transportation:  Ride a bike, walk, take the bus, or skateboard. For every gallon of gas that you save, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint by about 20 pounds.

 

2) Seal and insulate your home

Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is one of the most effective ways to reduce your energy use…and your carbon footprint. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home. 

 

Not sure where to begin?

Get a home energy audit. An audit can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation,    and evaluate the energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year-round, save energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

3) Heat and cool smartly

Heating and cooling account for about half of the energy we use in our homes.

 

What to do

  • Drop your thermostat by 2 degrees in winter; increase it by 2 degrees in summer.
  • Your savings? About2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
  • Install a programmable thermostat.
  • Clean or replace your air filters on air conditioners and furnaces monthly.
  • Dirty filters reduce airflow, making your equipment work harder and use more energy.
  • Have your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor.
  • Replace your old furnace or air-conditioner with a high-efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.

 

4) Set your water heater to 120 degrees

Heating your water above 120 degrees can be wasteful and unsafe. Lowering the temperature to 120° or less can save up to $25 annually (electric water heaters) or $18 annually (gas water heaters). Going on vacation? Turn your water heater down to the lowest setting. Leave a note to remind you to turn it back up when you return.

carbon footprint


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5) Track your energy consumption

Install energy consumption meters in your house to measure how much electricity you’re using. Make it a goal for your whole family to decrease usage.


 

Easy ways to cut consumption

  • Unplug everything (TVs, phone chargers, coffeepots, etc.) when not in use
  • Use natural light
  • Switch all electric lights to compact fluorescent or LED bulbs.

 

6) Reduce, reuse, recycle

  • Reduce the number of items you buy; purchase items with minimal packaging
  • Reuse items and packaging.
  • Compost food scraps at home.
  • Recycle your plastics, metals, newspapers, cardboard, glass, and office paper.
  • Support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials.


 

Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home or business conserves energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.


 

7) Use reusable shopping bags

Americans use about 100 billion plastic bags each year. It takes fossil fuels to make, ship, and dispose of these single-use bags. Most plastic bags are not biodegradable and end up in our oceans and waterways.

Using a reusable bag reduces your carbon footprint by approximately 0.1 pounds.

 

8) Wash clothes in cold water, hang to dry

A whopping 90 percent of the energy used by a washing machine heats the water. Save $60 or more each year by washing at least four out of every five loads in cold water. 

Your carbon footprint reduction? 72 pounds…in just one month.

 

Today’s more efficient clothes washers and laundry detergents make it possible to get clothes clean in cold water. Hang clothing to dry instead of using an electric or gas dryer. 


 

9) Purchase ENERGY STAR-qualified products

Buy ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances, electronics, or heating and cooling equipment. These products are federally rated to ensure energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov.


 

10) Eat green (fresh, local, organic, in season)

The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce than fresh. Buy food that's fresh, in season, organic, and grown locally. It also tastes better! To find local farmers, vendors, and CSA's, click here.

 

 

 

Want more ideas on how to reduce the environmental impacts of your lifestyle, business, or special event? The City of Aspen's ZGreen Program can help! 


Aspen ZGreen logo