Purchasing
When purchasing items, the carbon footprint includes many factors, from materials, production, transportation, use and waste. Here are some easy ways to reduce your footprint everyday.
- Shop second-hand
- Rent or borrow vs. buying - borrow books from the library, rent a tool you only need to use once.
- Shop local
- Skip the give away
- Buy items with recycled materials and no BPA
- Buy compostable items
Water
There are a number of ways to reduce your carbon footprint around water, some easy and some that take a little more planning.
- Drink tap water - avoid the cost and waste of plastic bottles by simply getting in the habit of using a water bottle.
- Reduce meat consumption
- Purchase dried beans vs. canned
- Support your local farmers market
- Capture and re-use rainwater
- Replace appliances with energy-efficient models
Food
Changing the food you purchase and consume can make a big difference in your carbon footprint. Try some new ideas!
- Grow your own fruits, herbs & veggies - even if you don't have a lot of room to grow a full garden, a few pots of herbs and veggies can save you money as well as the transportation it would have taken to get them to the market and to your home.
- Eat a whole-foods, plant-based diet
- Avoid processed foods
- Preserve the harvest
- Compost
Home Energy
Whether you need to replace systems or are ready to invest in better, more sustainable systems, here are some ideas for you to decrease your carbon footprint around your home's energy:
- Install a solar hot water tank
- install solar panels
- Use heat pumps vs. boiler, furnace, water heater and Air Conditioner
- Use below ground geo-exchange energy storage
- Capture Shower drain heat recovery
- Heat your home with renewable, local fuels
Transportation
Try to drive less with some of these ideas:
- Walk
- Bike
- Use Public Transportation
- Drive a hybrid or EV Car
- Carpool
