Be a smart consumer- Every time you buy something you are making an impact, all of the products we buy everyday have their own environmental footprint.  The impact comes from many sources including energy used to make the product, the materials used and also the transportation used to get the product to the store. Whenever you are about to buy a product think of the lifecycle of that item; where the product has been and where it will eventually go.

Buy organic and local- Buying organic has many benefits; it is healthier not only for the consumer but also for the ecosystem the food came from. When you buy organic you are supporting a system that does not use harsh chemicals, pollute the water or air where the food is being grown.  When you buy local, not only are you saving pollutants from going into the air from long distance transportation you are also supporting your local economy.

Clean energy- More then half of Americans get their electricity from coal power plants, which is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in this country. Many people don’t know this but in most places in the US you can already choose to get your electricity from green sources. Weather it be wind, solar, geothermal or hydroelectric they are all better then the dirty coal so much of us now rely upon.  Please visit http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/buying_power.shtml to find out if you can get green power to your home or office.

Eat less meat- One pound of beef takes about 12,000 gallons of water to produce! There are 1.5 billion cows in the world each one of them emitting between 26 to 53 gallons of methane a day. Methane is 23 times more powerful of a greenhouse gas then carbon dioxide, making this a huge contributor to global warming.  Make a change in your eating habits even if it is just eating one less hamburger a week you will be making a difference if you consume less meat.  

Wash your laundry in cold water- Heating water takes a lot of energy, 90% of the energy used in washing machines is the result of using hot water. The hotter the water the bigger the impact you will have on the environment.

Use less paper- This is an easy step that will help save water fuel and trees. It is estimated that 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used to send junk mail in the US each year.  You can stop 75% of the junk mail by signing up for this service (www.dmachoice.org). Most bills can now be paid online, so take advantage of this service that saves trees and fuel needed for transportation. Americans use about 27 pounds of copy paper per person, per year; so print on both sides of the paper and reduce what you can. 

Turn down your thermostat- For every one-degree you turn your thermostat up during the summer you will save up to 3% of your cooling bill. The same can be said about turning your thermostat down during the winter.  Not only will you be saving greenhouse gases from going into the atmosphere you will also be saving money. 

Recycle- This is one of the easiest and most important steps to a more sustainable life. No matter where you live there is some way to recycle. Recycling paper, aluminum and plastic is very important but don’t forget about electronics, florescent bulbs and batteries, if not correctly disposed of could lead to harmful chemicals being introduced into the soil and water.  Recycling not only ensures the trash does not end up in a landfill, but it also saves vast amounts of energy to find out how and where to recycle visit earth911.com  Better cleaner transportation- You can easily limit your carbon footprint by driving less often and driving smarter. Every time you choose to walk, take the bus or bike you are reducing or eliminating your impact on the environment. When you do drive, try to limit the amount of trips you take a week by consolidating your errands to one day of the week. Also you can use some hypermiling techniques that can greatly increase your miles per gallon and save you money. (www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/hypermiling-mpg-fuel-economy-gas-prices.php)

Water- Lets face it water is an essential resource and with population growth and already depleting freshwater sources, it is getting more important to conserve. The average American uses an average of 100 gallons of water per day; keep in mind that saving water also saves electricity because it needs to be pumped to your home via electric pumps. So limit your water usage to reduce your carbon footprint and help save the environment one drop at a time.

 

What is global Warming?
Ever since the industrial revolution we have been dependent on abundant and cheap fossil fuels. The most popular of these fossil fuels are coal and oil. When these fossil fuels are ignited they not only unleash energy they also let loose Carbon Dioxide and other harmful pollutants.  When Co2 is released, it collects in the atmosphere trapping in the heat from the sun. This creates a “blanket” over the Earth, which over time will slowly warm the planet. A shift of just a few degrees could be catastrophic to the planet, causing sea level rise, water shortages, food shortages, loss of animal habitat and extinction of many species. Global warming is already happening, glaciers are melting at an alarming rate and in the past 50 years the global temperature has been increasing the fastest in recorded history.  We need to act now! You can start by playing the game and offsetting you carbon emissions, please visit our “Green Tips” page to see how else you can start making a difference.