Your Carbon Foot Print: Reduce CO2

It’s time to stop associating energy efficiency with inconvenience, and start making it a priority, and making it our responsibility. Don’t groan, just read. Just like our health, our family, and our jobs, our Earth is an obligation. Rather than thinking of the Earth as a burden, be happy to know you can make a difference by doing the simplest tasks. You can look back knowing you’re a contribution, a part of the green movement–rather than an environment-sucking human being.

Contribute by reducing your carbon footprint. This is one of the best ways you can individually help Mother Nature! We will help you, help the Earth, by answering these questions you may have:

·      What is a carbon footprint?

·      What activities produce CO2 into our atmosphere?

·      What can I do to reduce my carbon footprint?

Now, lets break down what a carbon footprint is, by explaining what exactly carbon dioxide is in relation to our Earth.

The most vulnerable part of our Earth is its atmosphere. The atmosphere is so thin in comparison to the size of our planet, that we have the ability to dramatically change it, and in a dramatically short amount of time. Carbon Dioxide is released into the atmosphere, thickening the ozone layer and trapping heat around the Earth. Have you noticed summers are feeling hotter than usual?

Everyday, we emit carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by everyday living- we release CO2 just by breathing! Yes, breathing is natural, however 77% of CO2 in our atmosphere are man-made greenhouse gas emissions. This is done with electricity, transportation, building, and deforestation. Our trees and plants contain carbon dioxide, but release the gas when cut down.

Transportation is the second largest source of U.S. CO2 emissions. (carpool, use public transportation, ride a bike, or walk!)

Your carbon footprint is how much carbon dioxide you produce in your daily life.

What can you do about this?

·      Turn your thermostat up in the summer/down in the winter to prevent pounds of CO2 form being released.

·      Close doors to rooms you aren’t using, to maximize heating/air condition. and insulate windows and doors.

·      Turn off/unplug TVs, computers, your cable box, and other electronics that draw power.

·      Change incandescent bulbs to compact florescent bulbs- these use 75% less energy.

·      Run dishwasher/laundry only when they are full loads

·      Buy grocery totes to avoid using paper and plastic bags (leave it in your car

·      Stop buying bottled water- tap water is perfectly safe.

·      Plant a tree!

Watch An Inconvenient Truth with former Vice President Al Gore to become educated on global warming, and climate change.