35 Easiest Ways To Shrink Your Carbon Footprint, Abbreviated
Source: Columbia University
Food
1. Eat mostly fruits, veggies, grains, and beans.
2. Choose organic and local foods that are in season.
3. Buy foodstuffs in bulk. Use your own reusable container.
4. Reduce food waste; plan ahead, reuse, freeze leftovers.
5. Compost your food waste if possible.
Fashion
6. Don’t buy fast fashion.
7. Buy vintage or recycled clothing at consignment shops.
8. Wash your clothing in cold water.
9. Buy less. Buy used or recycled items whenever possible.
10. Bring your own reusable bag when you shop.
11. Try to avoid items with excess packaging.
Shopping
12. Laptop instead of a desktop.
13. Look for Energy Star products.
14. Support, buy from environmentally responsible companies.
Home
15. Do an energy audit of your home.
16. Use LED bulbs.
17. Switch lights off and unplug devices.
18. Turn your water heater down to 120˚F.
19. Install low flow shower heads.
20. Lower your thermostat in winter and raise it in summer.
21. Sign up to get your electricity from clean energy.
Travel
22. Walk, use public transportation, carpool, rideshare, bike.
23. If you drive, avoid unnecessary braking & acceleration.
24. Keep car tires properly inflated, remove extra weight.
25. Combine errands to reduce your driving.
26. Use traffic apps like Waze to help avoid jams.
27. On longer trips, turn on the cruise control.
28. Use less air conditioning.
29. Purchase a hybrid or electric vehicle.
Flying
30. Avoid flying – largest carbon usage.
32. When flying, use nonstop.
33. Go economy class, can save over 900% usage.
34. If you can’t avoid flying,
offset the carbon emissions.
Example: Roundtrip NY to LA: $43
Get Involved
35. Perhaps, most important: Vote! Be politically active.