Green Tips: Everyday Actions You Can Take to Reduce Climate Change
See the light. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. These energy-efficient bulbs help fight climate change because they reduce the amount of fossil fuels that utilities burn. You will save 100 pounds of carbon for each incandescent bulb that you replace with a compact fluorescent, over the life of the bulb. And remember to turn off the lights every time you leave a room!Recycle and use recycled products. Products made from recycled paper, glass, metal and plastic reduce carbon emissions because they use less energy to manufacture than products made from completely new materials. For instance, you’ll save two pounds of carbon for every 20 glass bottles that you recycle. Recycling paper also saves trees and lets them continue to reduce climate change naturally as they remain in the forest, where they remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Travel light. Walk or bike instead of driving a car. Cars and trucks run on fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In the United States, automobiles produce over 20 percent of total carbon emissions. Walk or bike and you’ll save one pound of carbon for every mile you travel.
Teleconference instead of flying. For office meetings, if you can telephone or videoconference, you will save time, money, and carbon emissions. Airplanes pump carbon emissions high into the atmosphere, producing 12 percent of transportation sector emissions.
Turn down the heat. Heating and air conditioning draw more than half of the energy that a home uses in the United States. Turn down the heat or air conditioning when you leave the house or go to bed. You can easily install a programmable thermostat that can save up money and carbon.
Conserve water. Turn the faucet off when you brush your teeth, take shorter showers, water your lawn or garden in the morning or evening.
Shop smart. When you need new appliances, look for the Energy Star symbol, which means U.S. the Environment Protection Agency and Department of Energy have rated the product energy efficient. When you buy your next car, purchase a hybrid, or a car that is more fuel efficient.
Buy renewable energy. Electricity generation produces 40 percent of carbon emissions from the United States. A growing number of utilities generate electricity from renewable energy sources with solar panels, windmills and other technologies. If your utility offers renewable energy, buy it. If not, send them a message asking for clean energy.
Inflate your tires. If you own a car, it will get better gas mileage when the tires are fully inflated, so it will burn less gas and emit less carbon. Check your automobile monthly to ensure that the tires are fully inflated. Follow this tip and save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide for every 10,000 miles you drive.
Plant native trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and use it as their energy source, producing oxygen for us to breathe. A tree in the temperate zone — found between the tropics and the polar circles—can remove and store 700 to 7,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime. A tree that shades a house can reduce the energy required to run the air conditioner and save an additional 200 to 2,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime.
Act globally, eat locally. If you shop at a supermarket, the food you buy may travel in a plane from the other side of the world, burning fossil fuels the entire trip. Shop at a local farmers’ markets and you will find fresh and healthy food, and help save our climate.
Reduce waste. Bring bags with you to the grocery store. Many grocery stores will even subtract the cost of bags from your total.
Get your name off of junk mail lists. Contact companies directly or write to the Direct Marketing Association: DMA Mail Preference Service, Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512.
Reduce or eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
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keep a bucket of water in the shower to catch the excess water, use this to water plants etc
as an artiste that works in all mediums, I find ways to recycle just about everything. after hurricane Ike our shingles were delivered on pallets. i converted them into planter boxes for veggies and an entry way tabletop.
If your workplace doesn't have a recycle program like mine didn't, start one. You can usually get the blue bins from your waste management company for free. Then take it upon yourself to maintain the bins and dispose of recyclables at the nearest transfer station. I did this because I work in a jail where it is secured from the normal recycling route and after encouraging my co workers it has been a great success! It's amazing to see how much was being wasted before I started the program. Try
I will pack dry and wet waste in different bags to dispose of waste...I hold seminars for women to bring more awreness in society...
Use a black coloured desktop for your computer. Dark colours consume less energy