Tell Your Carbon Footprint To Take A Hike!

Nowadays we are always being reminded of the damage that we have done to Mother Earth. It may be too late for us to make any difference, but we should try our best. Have you really thought about the ways in which you can start to make some changes to your own considerable carbon emissions? Here we take a look at what actually is meant by the term – carbon footprint, and how we can start to make it a little bit smaller.

What Is A Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is a term used to describe the total sets of greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by an individual or organization. These gasses are produced by the following actions:

- Production and consumption of food

- Production and consumption of fuels

- Production and consumption of buildings

- Production and consumption of manufactured goods

- Production and consumption of services

- Transport, land clearance and material production

Put simply it is the production of carbon monoxide associated with the way in which we live our lives. It is damaging our planet and we need to address this issue quickly.

Reduce The Footprint!

Of course we can do something, but what are the best and most effective ways to get this ball rolling? It is better to do as many little things as we can rather than become an eco-crusader. Here are some of those ‘little things’:

- Buy Organic food – This is clearly labeled and should be an obvious choice for your next trip to the supermarket. Organic and locally sourced food do not have to travel so far, this will shrink the footprint and help to reduce yours into the bargain.

- Packaging is for mugs – Try to stop using the free plastic bags on offer at the supermarket. Instead use cardboard boxes or reusable cloth bags. The amount of carbon monoxide produced by plastic factories is huge!

- Forget bottled water – It has a massive carbon footprint, the bottling plant creates so much carbon monoxide it is not funny! Instead try and make use of a reusable bottle and combine this with an in house filtration system.

- Window Shopping – Before you go on that mad spending spree, spend a little time browsing first. This way you end up buying only the stuff that you need. Impulse buying can be a waste of money and those items will each have a carbon footprint.

- Bin your microwave – These devices support the purchase of frozen meals. They may seem to be a quick and tasty option, but the energy required to freeze and microwave them is no joke. Cook fresh food as an alternative and rediscover the old classics whilst keep the planet nice and green.

- Cold water – Use this wherever possible, especially when washing your clothes. The heating element on a powerful washing machine can create a huge footprint. When you consider the amount of times the washer is in use, well that is one massive trap for greenhouse gas!

Another great way to go eco-friendly is installing solar power systems and using various solar powered appliances like solar cooker, heater, fridge and more. Take a look at this website to get more info.