Top Tips For Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases generated by your actions. It is estimated that the average carbon footprint for a person in America is 16 tons, one of the highest rates globally. Therefore, lowering the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced due to your everyday activities is crucial these days, as the full effects of climate change become more apparent. If you wish to learn more about lowering your carbon footprint, please take a look at these points.
Invest in energy-efficient appliances
Many experts agree that energy-efficient appliances are among the best home tech investments to reduce your carbon footprint and save money. Energy-efficient appliances require less energy to achieve the same effect. Consequently, if you switched to energy-efficient home appliances, you could save up to $11,000 on your utility bills. In addition, you can save nearly 130,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over the lifetime of these appliances. You can readily identify energy-efficient appliances in the country by their EPA Energy Star label, so it would help to look out for this when shopping for appliances. Also, these appliances may cost more upfront, but they are still worth the investment due to the long-term savings and carbon footprint reduction they guarantee.
Switch to renewable energy
There is no denying that even the most energy-efficient homes still require some lighting, cooling, and heating, all of which require energy. Therefore, you can cater to some or all of your home's energy needs using renewable technology and significantly reduce your home's carbon footprint. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy are three popular renewable energy sources you can consider because they operate carbon-free. There is a prominent higher cost to investing in renewable energy sources like solar panels for homes. Nevertheless, they are an excellent long-term investment because they generate power on their own, significantly reducing your monthly electricity bill and carbon footprint. Also, there are many tax credits, financing, and leasing options available today to make your transition to renewable energy more affordable and practical.
Don’t waste water
A reported 3% of America's energy is used to pump and treat water for home use. Also, heating your home's water consumes a lot of energy daily. Therefore, it is prudent to use less water to lower your carbon footprint and help the environment. To do this, you can turn off the taps when brushing your teeth and shaving, take short showers instead of long baths, and boil the water you need only. Additionally, install water-saving showerheads and fix all leaky faucets and fixtures around the home to prevent water wastage.
Consider sustainable transport
The transportation sector generates the biggest greenhouse gas emissions in the US because nearly all the fuel used for transport is petroleum-based. Therefore, you can walk, cycle, or take public transport as a more sustainable way to get around and reduce your carbon footprint. In addition, consider investing in electric cars or hybrid vehicles that use cleaner energy and are less carbon-intensive.
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