Whether you are making a cup of coffee, driving to the grocery store, mowing the yard, taking a shower or even opening the refrigerator door, you are leaving a trail that tells a lot about your life.
Just about all activities that use energy to almost any degree are creating individual carbon footprints.
A carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere as people go about their daily activities.
By making small and seemingly insignificant changes in their daily routines people can not only reduce the size of their carbon footprint, but also realize significant savings in their energy costs.
There are a number of web sites that have calculators that enable people to determine how much energy they consume and suggestions on how to reduce the size of their carbon footprint. Some suggestions involve significant lifestyle changes ranging from trading in an SUV for a hybrid or riding a bicycle to work. Others are more practical and simple such as turning the home thermostat down a degree or two.
Easy to follow tips that most people can follow without too much effort include:
Just about all activities that use energy to almost any degree are creating individual carbon footprints.
A carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere as people go about their daily activities.
By making small and seemingly insignificant changes in their daily routines people can not only reduce the size of their carbon footprint, but also realize significant savings in their energy costs.
There are a number of web sites that have calculators that enable people to determine how much energy they consume and suggestions on how to reduce the size of their carbon footprint. Some suggestions involve significant lifestyle changes ranging from trading in an SUV for a hybrid or riding a bicycle to work. Others are more practical and simple such as turning the home thermostat down a degree or two.
Easy to follow tips that most people can follow without too much effort include:
- Air conditioning and heating: By simply turning the air conditioning up a couple of degrees in the summer and the heating systems down in the winter, a consumer can save several hundred dollars.
- Clothes dryer, oven and dishwasher: Wait until the sun goes down in the summer months to run these appliances so they don’t put more strain on the air conditioner. In the winter months, run them when the house is the coolest.
- Shower: Install a low flow shower head and take shorter showers to reduce the amount of water used. Taking a shower instead of a bath saves considerable amounts of water.
- Refrigerator: Place the refrigerator in a cool place and always let hot food cool off before placing it inside. For greater efficiency keep coils clean and defrost it on a regular basis if necessary.
- Electronic devices: Unplug those that aren’t being used such as cell phone chargers, hair dryers, coffee pots, computers, etc. as they use electricity just by being plugged in.
- Hot water heater: Reducing the temperature of a hot water heater from 140 degrees F to 120 degrees F not only saves money but may prevent scalding. Insulate the hot water heater to save even more.
- Clothes washer: Wash clothes in cold water. Many detergents are designed for this purpose. Hot water is only necessary for extremely dirty or greasy items.
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