One of the crucial and overwhelming environmental threats that the world faces today is climate change. With that, it’s becoming more important to come up with and encourage eco-friendly solutions and strategies to help mitigate the issue and protect and preserve nature.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), although natural and human factors cause climate change, it’s highly likely that human activities such as cutting down forests and burning fossil fuels are dominantly causing the warming of the land, ocean, and atmosphere.
This brings us to the next pressing issue—what can you do to help the environment? While it’s true that real solutions call for a collective effort on a global scale, you can contribute in your own simple but doable ways. The easiest choice you can make? Reducing your carbon footprint at home.
Carbon Footprint Reduction 101: It all begins at home
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Your carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by your actions, including everything you purchase, consume, and use. The pandemic prompting everyone to stay at home also resulted in people using more electricity and buying more products than ever. No matter how small a home appliance may be, the energy it consumes can add up to your carbon footprint.
There’s no other perfect time than now to start making a difference. Reducing your carbon footprint won’t only help the environment, but you also get to enjoy a more ethically responsible lifestyle. Furthermore, you can expect lower electricity bills.
With that in mind, here are some ideas that can help you lessen your environmental impact and reduce carbon footprint at home:
Shift To Renewable Energy
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If you live in an area with energy providers using clean energy sources such as water, wind, or sunlight, it may be time to consider working with them and making the switch. Better yet, consider installing high-quality solar panels that can power your entire home. For instance, if you live in Adelaide, look for Adelaide solar power solutions that can help you build a solar power system according to your needs.
Switching to low-carbon energy as your power source can be a good start when reducing your carbon footprint at home. Clean or renewable energy doesn’t rely on burning fossil fuels to produce energy, so you don’t have to worry even when you need to use heavy appliances every day.
Cut Down On Meat
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Did you know that eating meat has an impact on greenhouse gas emissions? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, global livestock represents 14.5% of human-caused GHG emissions. Since meat production uses many resources such as land, water, and feed, climate advisers urge people to eat less meat to help lessen its environmental impact.
Instead of eating processed or red meat, you can consider shifting to a pescetarian or vegan diet. In general, it’s best to eat low down the food chain as much as possible, as it will also benefit the environment and your overall wellness. You can opt for fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains.
Watch Your Food Waste
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Here’s another shocking truth: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that yearly, food waste contributes to around 3.3 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions. Generally, consumers in wealthy nations throw away nearly as much food each year as is produced in Sub-Saharan Africa. Imagine how much resources are also wasted—resources such as water, energy, labor, and land used to create and manufacture uneaten food.
Fortunately, there are more than enough simple solutions you can do at home to help minimize household food waste. For instance, when buying groceries, list what you need so you won’t buy stocks you won’t likely use or eat. Don’t get easily tempted by bulk offers, even if it means getting lower prices. In most cases, buying excess stock can lead to the food getting spoiled before you can consume it.
Furthermore, know the right way to extend your food’s shelf life. Freezing and stocking food correctly can go a long way in ensuring you get your money’s worth and lessen food waste. Plan before cooking, too, so you’ll know much to prepare, and be creative with leftovers so you can reuse them instead of throwing them away.
On the other hand, if you have the time, you can consider learning how to make your own compost bin to decompose your kitchen waste properly.
Wrapping It Up
If you think about it, there are many ways you can reduce your carbon footprint at home. And as you explore how you can help the environment, note that your actions don’t have to be complex or grand, as small steps can go a long way. All it takes is a change of habit and a shift to an eco-friendlier lifestyle. Consider it your little contribution to help lessen your impact on the environment.
