Green living… it’s so much easier than you think!
Just making small changes can really make a big difference. You are unlikely to notice much of a change under your new 20/20 regime, but it will have a huge impact on your carbon footprint. That’s right; small changes like shaving 2 minutes off your shower or washing your clothes in cold water can shrink your CO2 output and save you tons of money on your utility bill too!
Start by determining what your carbon footprint currently is. Here is a great carbon calculator to help:
Now to chop 20% off of your carbon footprint is relatively simple. Here are some great tips to start:
| Tips on reducing your Carbon Footprint | Annual CO2 saved |
| Take short showers: You use 2.5 gallons of water per minute in the shower. Each gallon creates three ounces of carbon dioxide. Running your shower for two minutes less every day will save you 342 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. | 342 |
| Ditch the dryer: air drying your clothes will save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide annually and save you $75 per year. | 700 |
| Wash your clothes in cold water | 350 |
| Use cfl bulbs | 165 |
| Wrap your heater in an insulating blanket | 550 |
| Use public transport: doing this just two days a week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,600 pounds annually. | 1200 |
| Use recycled paper in your printer. Save 5 pounds of CO2 for every ream of paper you use | 30 |
| Lower your thermostat by 2 degrees | 2000 |
| Recycle – opt for products with less packaging and recycle the rest. Reducing your garbage by 25% will save 1000 lbs of CO2 | 1000 |
| Get a tune up! When your car runs optimally, you save on gas money. Find more tips here. | 800+ |
| Check your tires: under-inflated tires can add up to 3.3% to your fuel use | 250 |
| Don’t idle your car! Turn off your car any time you are stopping for more than 10 seconds and save on gas | 550 |
| Cancel 5 catalogs: Reduce that junk mail! | 77 |
| Meatless Mondays: eating one less meat meal a week will significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Get great recipes for Meatless Monday here. | 3000 |
Go to the Union of Concerned Scientist’s page to take their 20/20 challenge. You can find tips on how to cut your carbon footprint by 20% in 20 days here.
Winterizing your home can really make a huge difference to your bills and your carbon footprint. Get more info here.