Go green! Reducing your carbon footprint

21 Jun Go green! Reducing your carbon footprint

Going green might be on your list of things to do this summer.  Reducing your carbon footprint is always a good idea and starting right now can have such a wonderful impact on the environment.  You may have some questions as to how you should start.

We hopefully have some answers for you.

• Going green does not mean you should throw out all of your old items and get new environmentally safe things. Throwing out all your old items does not help because it just adds to the waste problem.  Instead, think of ways to reuse or recycle those items.  For example, instead of throwing away your plastic containers in lieu of glass ones, use those plastic containers to store small items or as drawer dividers for pens and such.
• Stop buying individually wrapped items. Buying in bulk and separating items into reusable containers can not only help the environment, but save you some money, too.
• Buy locally sourced food from farmer’s markets or local shops to avoid unnecessary fuel usage. And of course, bring your own grocery bags with you when you go shopping.
• Ditch the paper towels. Pay attention to how many paper towels you use in one day.  You might alarm even yourself.  Instead, use newspaper to clean windows and reusable cotton towels for spills.
• Load your dishwasher completely before running it. Using your dishwasher can be a much more efficient way to use water than hand washing, but only if you load it properly and completely full.  Use only environmentally safe cleaning solution, too.
• Take short 3 minute showers and avoid filling the bathtub. Showers use much less water than baths.
• Take a walk or ride your bike if your errands are close by instead of driving your vehicle.

Taking steps to make the world a better place can be quite rewarding.  Do you have any tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint? We would love to learn them in the comments below.