Before you get started, it’s important to know that there are no definitive answers on how much the average person should reduce their carbon footprint.
For example, if you live in a large city and don’t drive very often, then you may be able to reduce your carbon footprint by 90 percent and still live a full life.
But if you live in a rural area where everything is still delivered by truck or plane, then you might only be able to cut back 10 percent before it starts negatively impacting your quality of life.
If you’re not sure how much of an impact cutting back will have on your life, then start with something small that doesn’t interfere with what matters most to you — such as replacing incandescent light bulbs with LED lights throughout your home — and only move on from there once you’ve gotten used to making small changes.
Save money. Reducing your carbon footprint will save you money in the long term. By using more energy efficient appliances, you’ll spend less on electricity and heating bills. If you use public transportation instead of driving, this can save you thousands of dollars each year on gas and insurance costs. So it is important to reduce your carbon footprint.
Live longer. Reducing your carbon footprint also means that you’ll live longer. Air pollution kills thousands of people every year around the world, so reducing it can help save lives as well as keep your own lungs healthy!
When we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This drives climate change by trapping heat in our atmosphere, leading to rising global temperatures and more extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and hurricanes.
The impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world — and they’re only going to get worse unless we take action now. If we don’t curb our use of fossil fuels, experts predict that temperatures could rise by up to 3 degrees Celsius by 2100 — which would result in devastating consequences for our planet.
– Use energy wisely. Turn off lights when you leave a room for even a few minutes; unplug electronics when they’re not in use; set air conditioners at 78 degrees instead of 72 degrees; turn down water heaters by 10 degrees; turn off computers when not in use; recycle electronics, paper and plastic bottles; use natural light instead of turning on lights when possible; install low flow shower heads and toilets; buy Energy Star appliances (they use less energy); and insulate pipes so heated or cooled air doesn’t leak out into the outdoors (which wastes money).
