With the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) being released, many people are now wondering what they can do to help in the fight against climate change. While most of the greenhouse gases that are causing global warming are the result of large corporations fracking, burning fossil fuels, and refining oil, changing this would require serious governmental and international regulations and interventions. But for the average person, what simple changes could they make in their life to help lower their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions?

Finding Your Carbon Footprint

The term “Carbon Footprint” refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases caused by the actions of an individual, organization, or event. Simply put, it’s the amount of harmful emissions caused in the making of one’s lifestyle and environment. While it can be difficult to say exactly how much carbon emissions you are producing, the internet is full of carbon footprint calculators and quizzes that can give you a ballpark figure. Of course, an online quiz won’t be able to cover every aspect of life where carbon emissions will be produced, but these are an easy way to get an estimate that’ll help you learn what you’re doing well and where you can do better. 

This calculator from the Global Footprint Network is a fun and interactive way to get your footprint with just a small amount of general knowledge. It’s great for kids and people new to sustainability to learn more about environmental awareness, and gives a lot of data about global emissions and simple ways to cut back. If you’re looking for a more in-depth look at your carbon footprint, The Nature Conservancy offers a calculator that looks at specifics from your electrical bills, fuel efficiency, travel mileage, and more to show you how your lifestyle compares to those of similar size and location.

Greenhouse gases go into the Earth’s atmosphere trap in heat, causing severe temperature changes and drastic weather shifts, as well as damaging the atmosphere itself. Not only is the atmosphere at risk of damage, but our oceans as well. The oceans absorb approximately 30% of the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels. As the gas breaks down into carbonic acid, it causes the ocean to become more acidic in turn. This acidification harms the microorganisms, coral reefs, fish, and mammals living in the ocean, the acid compounds within these organisms and makes its way into humans as we consume seafood.

Change Up Your Diet

One of the most impactful ways that you can lower your carbon emissions is by changing what you’re putting into your body. A study conducted by the University of Oxford found that “plant-based diets reduce food’s emissions by up to 73%” (University of Oxford). Countless other studies have shown that meat, dairy, and other animal products are huge contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, with livestock being estimated to produce up to 14% of all greenhouse emissions. These animals consume massive amounts of feed and water (which require fuel to transport), and expel large amounts of waste that add to greenhouse gases. Notably, over a third of all the greenhouse gases from agriculture is methane gas expelled by livestock farting and burping (yes, really). A study by the National Resource Defense Council found that “beef consumption accounted for 34 percent of the emissions from the U.S. diet in 2014, the single largest source by far of any food” (NRDC). The same study found that consumption of other animal products like chicken, pork, eggs, and cheese accounted for 26% of the dietary emissions from the United States, while all of the other 192 foods in the study accounted for 34% for emissions. By cutting out meat, reducing the frequency of intake, or simply reducing the portion sizes, you can begin to drastically cut down your carbon footprint.

Many resources state that seafood is a much lower producer of carbon emissions than red meat and other animal products. But while seafood may be less carbon intensive than beef or pork, it’s incredibly harmful to the planet in a number of other ways. Overfishing of certain species and the high rates of bycatch (unintentionally caught marine wildlife) is devastating to the population sizes, health, and biodiversity of the ocean. Discarded and broken fishing nets, poles, lines have become the largest source of plastic pollution in the ocean, with more than 640,000 tonnes being discarded every year. This “ghost gear” continues to trap and kill wildlife as it floats throughout the ocean, and has led to the drastic population decline of a number of species and have greatly damaged coral reefs and their ecosystems. 

Another important thing to consider when purchasing your food is where it’s grown. “Locally grown” food is often considered to be food grown within 100 miles of your home. By purchasing locally grown food, you are not only supporting your community, but also greatly reducing the amount of carbon emissions produced by the transportation of food. Similarly, buying produce that is in season will eliminate the need for extensive transportation of food between different climates. If you’re looking for fresh spring or summer produce in the middle of winter, that food will likely have been transported from halfway around the world to reach you, as it has to come from a location that is the correct growing season. Tropically growing foods like bananas, avocados, sugarcane, and coconuts have to be produced in a tropical region, meaning that they’ll likely have to travel a long way to reach you, depending on where you live. So switch to buying local and in season produce, or even try growing your own produce right at home!

It is also a good time to think about the method that you’re receiving your food. Canned goods are notoriously high in carbon emissions due to their weight and water content, whereas dried goods are much lighter and easier to transport, creating less emissions. Similarly, frozen foods require constant cooling to keep fresh during transportation, only leading to more emissions from careful temperature regulation. If you’re interested in stocking up your freezer and pantry with low emission foods, consider canning or freezing foods yourself! Canning at home can decrease the need for disposable tins and containers, and freezing fresh, in season produce will give you the same flavor and nutrition without the single use packaging, not to mention saving you money! For other pre-packaged foods, look at where the food was manufactured. While it may seem fancy, having specialty pasta from Italy or sauerkraut from Germany is only creating unnecessary carbon emission (not to mention costing more), and will likely taste identical to any other variety.

While you may not be ready to commit to a fully vegan diet, don’t worry! Just switching out a few meals a week to vegetarian or vegan options can greatly reduce your carbon footprint. And with new meat and dairy alternatives becoming more and more available, you’re bound to find something that you like. Support your local community by checking out local restaurants, food trucks, or pop-ups that cater towards vegan & vegetarian foods with locally grown ingredients, or search the web for highly-rated recipes to make yourself. For more information about specific foods and their impact on the environment, check out this great article from the New York Times that looks at the relation our food has to climate change. 

Don’t forget to start composting your food scraps! Whether you’re doing it yourself in a backyard or apartment setup, have it collected by your city’s waste management system, or pay for a speciality composting service, it’s an easy way to lower Methane and greenhouse gas emissions.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Another simple and highly impactful way to lower your carbon emissions is to look into your mode of transportation. The Environmental Protection Agency reported that transportation is responsible for a almost 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. A report from the Union of Concerned Scientists also found that ride-hailing services like taxis, Uber, & Lyft result in approximately 69% more pollution than the trips they displace. 

One way to combat these emissions is to switch to an electric or hybrid vehicle. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions and hybrids only produce emissions when gasoline is in use. Compared to the typical passenger vehicle, which emits 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide every year, it’s easy to see how these electric and hybrid vehicles are much better for the environment. While it is true that they still create emissions during the manufacturing process and transportation of the cars themselves, the total lifetime emissions for electric and hybrid vehicles are still lower than gas powered cars. And if you’re in the market for an electric or hybrid car, look for a used one! That way, no new emissions will be created from the manufacturing of the car as it already exists and is in use. Not to mention, buying less or no gasoline at all will limit the amount of your money going back to the large corporations responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions.

Airplanes are notorious for causing large amounts of carbon emissions, with approximately 2.4% of all CO2 emissions coming from flights alone. Not only that, but the emissions from air transportation are rapidly rising, increasing 32% from 2013 to 2018. While a lot of these emissions are from domestic and international transportation of goods (just another reason to source locally made goods when possible), the rest is from commercial flights for business and travel. One way to avoid air travel is to utilize long-distance public transit like trains when possible. Here in the US, trains are often an unpopular mode of transit, especially in rural and low population areas where usable commuter railways are almost nonexistent. However, in other countries that have vast railway networks, like those in many European countries as well as Japan, trains are a much more reasonable and efficient choice for transportation. The European Environment Agency concluded that “rail travel is the best and most sensible mode of travel, apart from walking or cycling” (EEA).

If you live in a city with great public transportation, why not utilize it! Taking the bus, train, light rail, or subway reduces the need for buying your own vehicle or gas, and supporting the public transportation system can help improve it for everyone. A report by the US Department of Transportation found that heavy rail transit vehicles (like subways and metros) produce 76% less greenhouse gas emission per passenger mile than the average vehicle, while light rail systems produce 62% less emissions and bus systems produce 33% less. These emissions per passenger mile could decrease even more with a full capacity, while the average capacity on US bus transit is only at 28%. And the more public transit is utilized, the more widespread and accessible it can become to more people, only further helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Not into riding on public transit or it’s insufficient where you live? Consider riding a bicycle around town instead of driving. It’s a great way to get in exercise while also getting where you need to go fast. With new electric bikes, you can practically skip all the work of riding a bike while still avoiding the gas emissions. And with quick rental bikes and scooters available in many cities, you can utilize the low-emissions transportation without having to put in the upfront cost of purchasing these vehicles on your own. If you’re planning on going out with friends and family, organize a carpool! This works great for commuting with coworkers, dropping the neighborhood kids off, or taking a trip with friends. And of course, if you’re looking to go somewhere nearby or just get some fresh air, walking is a great option! At Simple Ecology, we deliver almost all of your orders to our local post office and shipping company by foot or bike. It’s a great way to get outside and appreciate the climate while also reducing our carbon emissions.

Reduce Energy at Home

The energy that we use in our homes, offices, schools, businesses, and more all release some form of greenhouse gas, so a good way to lessen the gases is to simply use less energy! There are countless ways that you can start to reduce your energy usage at home, one of the easiest being by leaving the lights off. If you have windows nearby, open the blinds and allow the natural lighting to come in. Then, when it begins to get dark later in the day, you can use the lights that you actually need. For most people, turning on the lights is a habit rather than a conscious decision, so the best thing to do is break that habit. Think about when the power goes out, you’ll still turn on the lights when you enter a new room, regardless of whether or not you can actually see. So keep the lights off if you can and only turn them on when necessary!

Only turn your heater or air conditioning on only when you need it, and at a more moderate temperature. The US Department of Energy estimates that air conditioners alone use up 6% of all energy produced in the US, resulting in “roughly 117 million metric tons of carbon dioxide are released into the air each year” (Energy.gov). There’s no need to have the AC cranked up if it’s not unbearably hot outside, and if you’re looking for a bit of ventilation, consider getting a fan or opening the window for a fresh breeze. Same idea with heating once the weather cools down. Instead of cranking up the heat, try putting on some thick socks and a sweater first to see if you really need the heat. And if you can, consider replacing your windows or weatherstripping to prevent the heating and cooling from being lost. The US Department of Energy found that the temperature gained or lost through windows adds up to 25-30% of home energy usage for heating and cooling.

For almost any appliance, from refrigerators to washing machines to light bulbs, there is an energy efficient version available. Not only will these appliances save you energy, they can also save you hundreds of dollars a year on energy and water bills.  Take lightbulbs for example, energy efficient lightbulbs can use up to 80% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lightbulbs. If you’re in the market for any new appliances (or a second-hand new-to-you appliance), definitely look for one with the Energy Star logo to ensure that it is an efficient model. With these appliances, and especially with non-efficient ones as well, be sure to run them when necessary. Make sure your dishwashers and washing machines are full before you run them. If they’re not yet full, wait another day or two until they are full enough to start them up.  And if you live in the right climate, consider skipping the dryer and air drying your clothing and washing instead!

With any items that need to be plugged in, like clocks, microwaves, TVs, and more, consider turning them off when not in use. Many appliances still draw standby power when they’re off, meaning you’re unknowingly and constantly drawing power for a lot of items in your home. Rather than unplugging each item individually, which can be a hassle, plug them into a power strip with an easy On / Off switch and just switch it on while it’s in use, and turn it off when you’re done. 

Even if you can’t reduce your energy usage as much as you would like, you can still try to make sure that the energy is as clean as possible! If you can choose your energy provider or plan, try to find one that offers sustainable energy sources. Hydroelectric, wind, and solar are all great choices, and are far better than energy from coal & gas burning power plants. You can also monitor your energy usage, as most power companies have peak pricing during the evening when solar power is less available due to the setting sun, so lower your energy usage around this time (typically from 4 to 9PM). And if you’re a homeowner, look into getting your own solar panels! These panels can significantly lower power bills or cut out the power companies all together, so learn if solar panels are a practical option for your home.

For more ways that you can reduce your home energy usage, as well as conserving water, check out our last article.

Other Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

A great way to lower your carbon emissions while also saving money is by shopping for used goods! Whether it’s for clothing, appliances, vehicles, or whatever you may need, buying used goods is so prevalent in low waste living. While most (if not all) of the carbon emissions for an item are made during the manufacturing and transportation process, buying used goods eliminates more emissions from being made during that manufacturing. The item already exists, so why not use what’s there? With the prevalence of second-hand marketplaces, consignment stores, charity shops, used car dealerships, and others becoming more widespread and accessible, you can find almost anything you want second-hand, and at a cheaper price too.

Similar to buying second hand items, you can make the switch to reusables over disposables for almost anything now-a-days. When using disposable items, the actual time that that item is in use can be anywhere from hours to just seconds, when it’s then sent to a landfill or pollutes the environment. With reusables, you can cut out a large amount of emissions from the manufacturing sector, as well as reducing the transportation to get any number of disposable items to you and then to the dump. Not to mention, switching to a few high quality reusable items can last you for years, if not a whole lifetime, saving you money all along the way!

Looking to check out some new reusable and low emission goods? Find a zero-waste shop or refillery local to you! Most of these shops really care about the products they have available, and low waste perishable items are usually best from local vendors. While not always the case, these shops are known to have a wide selection of locally grown & made, small batch goods, which cuts down on transportation and manufacturing emissions, as well as supporting the local community. On top of that, the staff is sure to know some great tips & tricks for lowering your emissions and waste, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!

While they’re not a solution for carbon emissions, buying carbon offsets is a great way to help reduce the emissions that are already floating around in the atmosphere. These offsets are a way of neutralizing the amount of carbon dioxide that’s in the air, and do so by protecting forested areas and planting trees to absorb the carbon dioxide. If you’re interested in learning more, Going Zero Waste has a great article all about buying carbon offsets and how to choose the right organization to support.