5 Things You Can Do NOW to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

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By Kimberly “KG” Farrell

What is my carbon footprint? Well put succinctly it is the amount of pollution your lifestyle creates. Recently I read an article on Business Insider discussing a survey they had taken of Millennials. Not surprisingly the young generation reported that they feel strongly that scientists have proven that people are responsible for climate change, and that climate change is bad for the planet.

Roughly half agree that it is their top concern. Over 75 percent said they would be willing to change their lifestyle to protect the planet. It was the word “willing” that caught my attention. It occurred to me that in the current political climate and with a raging pandemic going on, they might not be getting information on how they can do that.

So I decided to do a little research and list the 5 easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

Unplug your charger. Believe it or not your cell phone and laptop chargers are using energy even when they aren’t charging your items. It’s only about .5 watts continuously but if a million people unplug, it will make a significant difference in how much electricity we use.

Adjust your mini blinds. Yes, that’s right, adjusting your blinds could save you energy. How? Glad you asked. Mini-blinds are designed with curved slats. Ever wonder why? Because depending on which direction they are turned, they will either push heat up toward the ceiling or down into the room. In summer make sure your blinds are turned with the center of the curve closest to the window. In winter the center of the curve should be closer to the inside. If you watch to see where the bottom edge of each slat is facing, you will easily understand how this happens.

Buy vintage or recycled clothes. Each year a staggering 21 billion pounds of cloth end up in the landfills of the United States each year. Buy buying used or trading clothing with friends you can reduce that amount of waste. In turn you aren’t buying new clothes that cost money and energy to produce and ship. Plus, vintage is just snatched. (The new word for cool according to Google)

Turn your water heater down. Not only will this save consumption of energy it will save you water. If you are having to turn on the cold water to reduce the heat of your hot water you are using more water than necessary. Think about it this way: It is silly to pay to heat up water only to pay to use cold water to cool it back down.

This one is my favorite. Plant a tree or two. Trees as we know breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Think of them as the world’s natural air purifier. Fruit trees help feed bees and local wildlife and reduce your grocery bill. They are also a beautiful way to add color to your yard in both spring and fall. If you are not in a financial position to go buy a 30-40 dollar tree, considering signing up for the Arbor Day Foundation. A $15 annual membership will get you 10 free trees. Plenty to share with friends and family!

There are many ways of helping to reduce your carbon footprint. If you find doing the five above easy, move on to five more that might take a little more effort. Believe me, knowing you are helping protect Mother Earth, is well worth the effort!

Farrell is the author of two suspense novels: 411 Apple Tower Rd a frightening tale about a child predator who chooses the wrong victim and Messanie Hill based on a true story of a house that has more than memories lurking within its walls. You can purchase copies of both books HERE.

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