We all need to make better choices in what we consume and how we produce and use energy. Only 40% of the average American’s carbon footprint is from direct energy use. The other 60% is indirect. It comes from everything we buy and use. Here are 10 ways you can pay attention to your lifestyle habits to decrease your energy use.
1. Unplug your gadgets. When you’re not using them that is. According to the US Department of Energy, appliances consume a significant amount of electricity even when they are switched off.
2. Wash with cold water. About 90% of the energy that goes into washing your clothes or dishes is used to heat the water.
3. Compost your food waste. Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions Plus, it is good for your garden as well. Food scraps make up 20-30% of the waste that we throw away.
4. Reduce, reuse and recycle. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal. If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper, and other goods.
5. Eat less red meat. Traditional red meat comes from livestock such as cattle and sheep. These animals produce large amounts of methane, which is a greenhouse gas that packs 72 times that of CO2 over a 20 year period.
6. Reuse your water bottle. Producing bottled water requires 2000 times the energy as does producing tap water. The next time you leave the house, make sure that you take a reusable water bottle to avoid any temptation. Besides that, bottled water is more expensive and is worse for your health.
7. Walk, cycle or take public transportation. This is extremely important if you live in a city, where driving a car or taking an Uber is sometimes pointless. Check to see if you can get to the same place by taking the metro.
8. Turn off the lights you are not using. You can save 189,827 kw/hr with the flick of a switch. This is one of the simplest things that you can do to reduce your carbon foot print.
9. Cancel your junk mail. By contacting 41pounds, a nonprofit service that contacts dozens of direct mailers to remove your name from their lists, you can avoid receiving the mail you will just end up throwing away.
10. Take shorter showers and turn off your faucet when not in use. A 7 minute shower already uses about 14 gallons of water and a running faucet uses about 2 gallons/minute. Make every drop count.
