EASY DOES IT
A trail marker with a round cycle route arrow sign.
Easy Ways to Help the Environment
Reducing your carbon footprint can be easier than you think. (BTW Do you know where the term “carbon footprint” comes from? It’s a term coined by the fossil fuel industry to take the onus off of them and put it on you. Learn more here.) As frustrating as the term is, it is a useful way to understand and measure how much CO2 you are responsible for and how you can reduce it. The best part of understanding and reducing your carbon footprint is that you can also save some money while you are helping to improve our environment. There are many great ideas out there so don’t stop with the ones that you see here. There are several online resources available that offer tips on reducing energy consumption. Also state/local governments and utility companies in your area may have additional resources to help you combat climate change with some simple steps. Even the smallest action matters and makes a difference. If you pile a few actions together, you can start to significantly make an impact. Now just imagine if we all do some simple things to reduce personal energy consumption. There is strength in numbers!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Replace light bulbs with energy saving LEDs. Improvements in technology and mass production are making LEDs less expensive and readily available. Additionally, LED bulbs can last for many years.
Walk, bike or take public transportation whenever you can. Carpool if possible. Try a bike share or local transit systems when you are traveling to new cities.
Replace older appliances or electronics with EnergyStar rated products. (Old appliances can be recycled so make sure that they are disposed of properly. Check with local utilities as some may offer rebate and haul away programs in your area.)
Be mindful of “phantom power”. All electronics draw a little bit of electricity when they are left plugged in – even when an item is “off”. Many devices such as DVRs and other connected electronics draw power all of time. Try using power strips or plug-in power reducers that can be turned off completely and switch them off when you don’t need them. Unplug chargers and small appliances when not in use.
Use the energy monitor in your laptop to show you which applications and programs are drawing power unnecessarily. Shut down the ones that you don’t need to keep running.
Caulk and add weather stripping to seal windows and doors to prevent energy from escaping your home. Consider upgrading to more energy efficient options if you need to replace them.
Shut off lights when you leave an empty room.
Upgrade to a programmable thermostat that monitors usage and occupancy. If you can’t, try to keep your temperature to moderate levels in both the winter and summer to reduce your use of heat or AC. Turn the system off and open windows when the outdoor temps are comfortable.