Your "carbon footprint" is a reference to the activities you do on a daily basis that affect the environment. Many times, these are activities you do not always think about--such as taking the bus to work, eating at an out-of-town restaurant and throwing away your bottled water. These activities can all affect current and long-term climate change. Learning how to reduce your carbon footprint will allow you to promote a green lifestyle and help with planet well being.
Utilities
One big way to reduce your overall carbon footprint is with your utilities. This can be at home, at work or when you are visiting your friends. The biggest action you can take is turning off the lights when you are not using the room. Avoid flushing the toilet every time. Don't have the water running the whole time you shower. This is a small step to conserve water and your hot water heater. In the summer months, avoid excessive use of the air conditioner. Keep windows open to allow for adequate air flow. In the winter, wear more and warmer clothes to avoid having to crank up the furnace. Use short cycles on your washer but wash with a full load so you use less water over time. When drying clothes, avoid using the gas or electric dryer if clothes can be hung out on a clothesline. Wash dishes by hand in lukewarm water rather than using the dishwasher consistently. All these steps will reduce your carbon footprint by conserving energy and reducing gas pollutants into the air.
Traveling
Traveling often means using additional transportation to get around while visiting your vacation destination. Airplanes, buses, rental cars and trains can all dump pollution out into the air. Even though millions of people use these modes of transportation daily, reduce your own carbon footprint by walking, riding a bike or using a pedicab to get to and from destinations. If you are camping, keep in mind the "no-trace left behind" philosophy. This means to clear the area when you leave so that it will look just like it did before you arrived. Discard ash and unused firewood. Take plastics and garbage with you and toss into the proper receptacle.
Recycling
Recycling is something you can learn how to do and, in the process, engage in it to reduce your carbon footprint. This means creating bins to discard paper, plastics, glass and chemicals. Return ink cartridges and tires to a local recycling unit. Recycle food bits to create a compost bin for your garden or yard. Having everything put in its proper receptacle and discarded rather than thrown in a plastic trash bag in the landfill will allow items to be salvaged and reused rather than taking up permanent space on the Earth.
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