Simple Ways You Can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

It's no secret that modern life has had a negative impact on the environment, and to lessen that impact, many experts are encouraging us to reduce our carbon footprint, which is simply a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment. The smaller our carbon footprints are, the less damage we are doing to the environment. And while not everyone can afford brand new appliances or cars that use less energy, there are simple things that everyone can do to reduce their impact on the environment in their daily lives. Below are ten simple things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and help the earth.

Purchase Locally Grown Foods
Modern supermarkets offer a dizzying array of foods, giving us thousands of choices for our daily meals. But the downside of all of this variety is that many of these foods have been shipped hundreds, even thousands of miles to travel to our tables. All of this transportation creates an excessive amount of pollution, which is bad for the environment. However, purchasing food that's locally grown, either at a neighborhood store, farmer's market, or straight from a farm, considerably cuts down on transportation pollution and drastically reduces your carbon footprint. Going to the local farms and markets is now a fun outing for my family, and we eat healthier too, by purchasing fresh foods in season.

Bring Your Own Bags
Paper and plastic bags not only use up resources being produced, they take up space in landfills for years or use up more resources being recycled. But using cloth bags over time considerably cuts down the use of these resources. While canvas and cloth bags do use resources initially to be produced, their continued and exclusive use saves ten to hundreds of times those resources by eliminating the need for disposable bags. By keeping five to ten bags in your vehicle and using them when you shop, you'll reduce your carbon footprint and actually have a sturdier method of hauling your groceries and other items. I find it much easier to carry my purchases in sturdy cloth bags and don't have to worry about plastic bags breaking and spilling my food all over the parking lot.

Plan Your Errands
Going back and forth to stores multiple times a week can really add up the miles on your car, wasting money and fuel. Instead, plan out your errands so that you're not making extra trips to the store. Make a shopping list each week so that you don't have to go back out for forgotten items, travel in a circuitous route to various stores instead of driving haphazardly all over town, and try to plan errands at one time so that you're not making multiple trips. Not only will you save yourself time and money, you'll reduce the amount of pollution you produce as well. I now make one major shopping trip once a week for a family of six, which frees up my time considerably the rest of the week to accomplish other things.

Plant a Garden
Growing fruits and vegetables in your own yard, patio, or even windowsill is not only significantly cheaper, it's also wonderful for the environment. Not only are you reducing your carbon footprint by eliminating the pollution caused by shipping fresh produce, green plants release oxygen into the environment, which is good for your health. Planting a garden is also a wonderful educational opportunity. I plant a garden with my kids every year, and not only do they learn how to care for the earth, they are more open to eating vegetables, which is a huge bonus.

Visit the Library
Reading is an enriching and worthwhile pastime, and today it's easier than ever to get your hands on the latest bestsellers, whether in a large bookstore or on the internet. But purchasing every book you want to read wastes resources as those books are produced, shipped, and then take up space on your shelf. Instead, visit your local library and read books for free. Not only will you save money, but you'll reduce your carbon footprint by reusing the books your library already purchased. As for books you already own? Try hosting a book swap with friends to discover new titles and give your old books new life with someone else.

Make Your Own Cleaning Products
Most cleaning products on the market today contain harsh chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Purchasing chemical-free cleaning products is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, but making your own natural cleaners is even more environmentally-friendly. Natural products are not only good for the earth, but they're good for your health as well, and they'll keep your house clean and fresh.

Give and Use Hand-Me-Downs
Before you go out to purchase new clothes or household items, consider using someone's hand-me-downs instead. Whether you shop at a thrift store, borrow from a friend, or use a site like Freecycle, reusing items already in the system saves resources by not having to make something new. In our family, clothes are passed down through our three boys, and even our daughter can use some of their staple items. We swap other clothes and items with friends and family, saving money and reducing our carbon footprint.

Befriend Your Neighbors
Living in community with your neighbors is a wonderful way to reduce your collective carbon footprint by creating a network in which to share goods and services. Little-used items like ladders and snow-blowers can be shared instead of everyone on the block owning their own. Try coordinating gardening efforts by swapping vegetables and plants instead of buying more, or trade clothing, household items, books, CDs and more. Not only is this a great way to build relationships with those around you, you can simply walk down the street to get what you need instead of wasting fuel driving to purchase something new.

Use Cloth Products
We live in an increasingly disposable culture, which creates a large amount of waste and depletes our natural resources. Items like napkins, paper towels, plastic baggies and diapers last a long time in a landfill, but can be replaced by reusable cloth counterparts. Paper napkins and paper towels can be replaced by cloth napkins and hand towels. Try using fabric crayons and paints and letting each family member decorate their own napkins for a fun art project. Instead of packing your child's lunch in plastic baggies, try reusable food bags like SnackTAXIs instead as well as canvas lunch bags. Cloth diapers have also come a long way from our mothers' and grandmothers' days, and create less waste. Cloth products also save money since they can be reused over and over again.

Go Paperless
Most companies now offer paperless options for their statements and bill-paying. Instead of getting paper statements mailed to your home each month, you can view them online and pay your bills online too. Eliminating paper statements, bills, envelopes, checks, and stamps not only saves a lot of paper, it also cuts down on the pollution created from transporting all of that extra mail. Some companies will even offer financial incentives for going paperless, and the convenience of having an electronic record of all of your transactions makes life easier, allowing you to instantly access your records whenever you need them.

For More Eco-Friendly Tips, Visit:
SnackTAXI Reusable Bags
Chemical-Free Kids' Deodorant
Upcycled & Recycled Thanksgiving Crafts
Naturally Kill Crabgrass Without the Use of Chemicals
Recycled Wrapping Paper Options
The Best All Natural Cleaning Products
How To Plant a Garden With Children