We’re moving to a future that’s Energy 3.0 where innovations in technology through the digital age will allow us, consumers, to become the masters of our energy. That being said, in the meantime, there are quite a few unusual and easy ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint.
Go Paperless
We tend to use a LOT of paper. Probably more than you realize. This is true for businesses as well as individuals. One way to reduce this a bit is by using paperless post. Think about the mail you send. Things like announcements, invitations, and even regular greeting cards, can now be sent without using any paper at all. There are websites available for people to create online postcards, invitations, greetings, etc.
For instance, you can look for e greeting cards online and customize them to include pictures and your content. You can get the design’s e-copy that you can send to whomever you want. This is a quick and easy way to immediately reduce your carbon footprint.
Another effective way for businesses to go paperless is by digitizing their existing paper documents, most likely with the help of a reputed record scanning services provider. This will not only help reduce the carbon footprint, but also help streamline the processes and make them more efficient.
Use Things More
As a society, we tend to use things and then discard them. We need to start using our things longer. Think about it. If your TV stops working correctly, you might go right out and buy a new one. Consider having that one repaired to use as long as possible. This can be infinitely helpful to the environment.
Plastic Bags
This one is beginning to be used by people across the planet, but it still bears repeating. Stop using plastic bags. The production process for these contributes to the pollution of air and uses a massive amount of energy. We can use other things instead – like silicone bags or cloth totes. Did you know that a single plastic bag can take as much as a millennium to decompose? If you consistently use reusable bags, they’ll have a much better effect on the environment.
Bring Your Own Mug
Paper cups aren’t always recycled and bringing your own mug can be a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint if you drink coffee on a regular basis. It’s really easy, just take a travel mug the next time you head out for a white chocolate mocha Frappuccino at your local coffee shop.
Switch Off Standby
When you leave appliances like iPod chargers, laptops, or mobile phones on standby, they’re still using energy to ensure they’re powered down. Just switch them off and unplug them to be a bit more energy efficient.
Take a Shower
Taking a bath uses more water when compared to taking a shower. It uses more than double the amount of water. If a family of four switches out one bath a week with a shower, they’ll be saving the energy needed to heat the water as well as the water itself while saving a bit of money in the process.
Be Flexible
If you happen to work for a business that allows its employees to work from home, this is a great way for you to cut your personal carbon emissions. Aside from saving the environment thousands of KG in terms of carbon and other pollutants each year by working from home only three days each week, you’ll also be saving quite a bit of money on costs related to transportation.
Bonus tip: Use worms. This might not be one for people who’re a bit squeamish, but these tiny creatures are an eco-friendly and effective method of composting kitchen waste. In fact, throughout the year, they can compost a few hundred pounds of it. They’re thought of as being much more effective at this than some of the alternative methods. Also, composted in this method, green waste doesn’t give off a contributor to climate change – methane. Any compost that’s leftover can then be used as a natural fertilizer for houseplants and in gardens, which then produce more oxygen.