Going Green

If your carbon footprint looks like Bigfoot’s footprint, then you might want to consider some ways you can green up your lifestyle. According to “Saving Energy: It Starts at Home” in the March 2009 issue of National Geographic, most of us could easily reduce our “energy diets” by more than 25 percent. Going green not only benefits Mother Earth; it also benefits your pocketbook during these times of economic stress.

Consider this: The average American household produces more than 150 lbs. of carbon dioxide (CO₂) every day. That’s more than twice the amount produced by Europeans, and more than five times the global average. Peter Miller, the author of the article in National Geographic, wanted to reduce his carbon footprint, so he consulted Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth. Flannery contends that to prevent earth-altering ice cap melting, we need to reduce our CO₂ emissions by 80 percent.

So Miller decided to see whether he and his wife could reduce their carbon footprint by 80 percent. They tracked their CO₂ emissions for one month, July 2008, as though they were counting calories for a diet, and they converted daily activities into pounds of CO₂. They determined ways they could reduce — driving less, watching less TV, turning up the air conditioner, turning down the hot water heater, and using a push reel lawn mower rather than a gas-guzzling model. They checked their utility meters and car odometers daily and recorded the readings. They also learned some surprising facts; for example, one gallon of gasoline adds 19.6 lbs. of CO₂ to the atmosphere, a kilowatt-hour of electricity adds 1.5 lbs. of CO₂ and a cubic foot of natural gas adds 12 lbs. of CO₂.

By August 1, the Millers had decreased their electricity use by 70 percent and their natural gas use by 40 percent compared to the previous July, and they’d reduced their driving to about half the national average. In all, they reduced their CO₂ emissions to an average of 70.5 lbs. a day — less than half the national average. Although they didn’t reach their target, that’s an enormous reduction for one month and on par with European usage.

You don’t have to take on a huge challenge like the Millers did to reduce your carbon footprint and save energy. You can do it many small, easy ways that will add up, both for Mother Earth and your pocketbook.

Fix leaky plumbing. That leaky bathroom faucet is costing you more than annoyance. Check all faucets — sinks, tubs, showers, toilets — for leaks and repair them. Better yet, replace them with water-saving models.

Install a programmable thermostat. This allows you to turn the heat down and the cool air up during the workday when you’re not home and at night.

Add insulation. Heat escapes through the attic and around doors and windows. Add extra insulation to your attic — you can rent a blower at Lowe’s or Home Depot and blow the insulation into the attic for an easy task — and add weather stripping and/or caulk around your windows and doors.

Reduce paper products. Sign up to receive your monthly bills online (and pay them online). Also, eliminate paper towels and napkins by using rags and cloth napkins. Old t-shirts, socks and towels make great rags that you won’t feel bad about throwing away when they get gross.

Start composting. A compost pile in a back corner of your yard is great transforming for food waste into nutrient-rich soil for your lawn and gardens. You can purchase worms at a bait shop or online to speed the composting process.

Use reusable items. From water bottles to razors, you can find a myriad of reusable products that will reduce waste.

Park your car. Try to drive less and walk, ride a bike, carpool or use public transportation more often.

Use water-based paints in and on your house. Use water-based latex paint rather than oil- or solvent-based paints.

Plant drought-tolerant landscaping. Plenty of plants and flowers are tolerant of hot, dry conditions and require less watering, saving you time and money.

Invest in quality. Ever heard the saying, “I’m too poor to buy cheap things?” When you buy something of good quality, you don’t have to replace or upgrade it nearly as often as you do items of poor quality. This goes for furniture, appliances, computers, electronics, clothing, shoes, homes — pretty much everything.

Use compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). CFLs can save you up to $30 over the lifetime of the bulb, and they pay for themselves in about six months. They use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, and they last about 10 times longer. If you want to avoid harsh fluorescent light, choose CFLs that say “soft white” on the package. You can even purchase dimmable CFLs now. NOTE: Because CFLs contain mercury, follow the package instructions for proper disposal.

Recycle. Recycle paper, cans and plastic bottles by placing them in your recycle bin for pickup on trash day. Collect glass bottles and take them to a recycling center regularly. You can also recycle in other ways. For example, if that sofa is in good condition or your old PC still works (albeit slowly), donate it to a local charity.

Start your Going Green project today!