Easy Ways to Lower Your Carbon Footprint at Home

Aug 20, 2019Haleigh CavalierHome

Help fight back against climate change without leaving your house!

There’s no denying it, the planet is warming. Countries around the world saw record-breaking temperatures the past two months. July 2019 was the was the hottest month in recorded history and June 2019 following closely behind in second place. On top of the extreme heat, sea ice has fallen to unprecedented lows, nearly 20% below the average (1). We’re already seeing the negative impacts of a changing climate, which is why we need to take urgent action in our day-to-day lives and take steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

The following tips and strategies will not only allow you to do your part in the fight against climate change, but also have the additional benefit of saving you money!

How Electricity Use Contributes to Climate Change

Climate change is caused by the emission of greenhouse gasses namely from combustion of fossil fuels for energy. In order to use energy for transportation, heating, and electricity, fossil fuels are burned and the process releases unnatural amounts of gasses like carbon dioxide and methane. The chemical composition and structure of these gasses make it difficult for the sun’s energy to pass through them, and the result is that they trap the sun’s heat in the atmosphere, warming the planet (2). The greenhouse effect is a natural process necessary to sustain life on Earth, but human activity has caused concentrations of these greenhouse gasses that are beyond the capacity of normal climate fluctuations.

What You Can Do To Save Energy at Home

Electricity production is the second largest source of fossil fuel emissions, second only to transportation. Use the following tips to change your consumption patterns and live a more sustainable life!

Turn off the lights and unplug appliances that aren’t being used – it might seem like this individual action would only save minuscule amounts of energy, but it really adds up! The World Health Organization calculated that switching off five unused lights in your home when they are unused can avoid about 400 kg of CO2 emissions per year (3).
Purchase energy efficient light bulbs! Although these are more expensive in the short term, they last way longer and help you save on energy costs, saving you money in the long run. Switching one light bulb to an energy efficient bulb in your home could avoid another 400kg of CO2 emissions in one ear (3)
Limit water usage by taking shorter showers and turning water off when brushing teeth. The average shower uses about 5 gallons of water per minute. If you shorten your shower by 3 minutes, you can cut your water use by 15 gallons! (4)
Use air conditioning efficiently! AC accounts for nearly 6% of household energy usage in the United States. Your AC consumption (and electricity bill) can be significantly lowered through the use of high efficiency air conditioning units. If you’re not in the market for a new AC unit, regular cleaning and filter replacements for your current AC can do wonders for efficiency (5).
While we’re on the subject of AC… use air conditioning less. You can save money and keep your home cool in ways that avoid AC use altogether! Seal and insulate air ducts, walls, cracks, openings, and doorways to prevent heat from sneaking in. Make use of ceiling fans and natural ventilation, and refrain from cooking inside on hot days (5).
Install energy efficient solar curtains… and keep them closed! Energy efficient curtains help prevent heat from getting in during the hot months and prevent it from escaping during the colder months, allowing you to save on both heating and cooling energy and costs. Keeping curtains closed when possible enhances their effect (5).
Power down computers and activate sleep and hibernation settings. Putting your computer on sleep mode can reduce its energy consumption by about 87%. When you go to sleep, your computer should too (4)!
Wash your clothes in cold water. The majority of energy spent washing laundry is through the heating process and can be conserved simply by using colder wash cycles. Your clothes will still get clean in cold water!
Talk to your energy provider. You may be able to look at a breakdown of your energy consumption and see where you could cut corners. Many energy providers now also have the option to source your energy from wind or other clean sources. There are a lot of great options out there!

The list above outlines so many different ways you can adjust your habits to live a more sustainable life, but remember Rome was not built in a day! Make changes that are manageable for you and try to stick with them. Small changes can have a big impact over time. And remember, anything that saves you energy, is also saving you money! Try out a few tips this week!

References

Your Health