How Big Is Your Carbon Footprint? And How Can You Reduce It?

How Big Is Your Carbon Footprint? And How Can You Reduce It?

Wondering how to reduce your carbon footprint? While climate change is a big issue, you can make small changes to your daily habits to help make a cleaner future.

Infographic describing how you can reduce your carbon footprint.

What Is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases your actions create. The United States currently holds one of the highest carbon footprint rates. Most people here have a carbon footprint of 16 tons, with the average around the world being 4 tons.

What Contributes to a Carbon Footprint?

There are many factors that make up a carbon footprint. The average American's footprint has four categories:

While your footprint may be higher or lower based on how you live, trying to lower it as much as possible has many benefits for the environment. Luckily, there are ways to reduce your carbon footprint:

How to Reduce Your Food Footprint

Changing what you eat is one of the easiest places to start when looking for ways to lower your carbon footprint. Some tips to offset your carbon footprint due to food choice include:

  • Reduce your food waste: Avoid buying more food than you need to reduce waste and lower the need for resources.
  • Eat less meat: Raising animals takes a higher amount of energy than growing plants. Switching to a diet with a focus on vegetables and certain grains can reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Choose organic and local foods: Choosing local and organic foods can help reduce the amount of energy needed for transporting your food.

How to Reduce Your Transportation Footprint

Travel is a large source of carbon emissions for Americans due to the millions of cars and trucks on the road. Some ways you can reduce your transportation footprint include:

  • Use green modes of transportation: Drive an electric or hybrid vehicle and charge your car at home or at a charging station.
  • Carpool with friends and co-workers: Sharing a ride when going to work or shopping can reduce your carbon footprint by 1 ton yearly.
  • Try to schedule nonstop flights: Takeoff and landing burns more fuel than cruising. You can reduce your carbon footprint and travel stress by booking nonstop flights whenever possible.

How to Reduce Your Home Energy Footprint

Home energy is often the biggest part of a carbon footprint. Some simple ways to offset carbon emissions from your home include:

  • Unplug appliances when they are not in use: Many modern devices stay in standby mode when they are not in use. This means they use a small amount of power all the time. When you unplug appliances, they will no longer draw energy, reducing your carbon footprint at home.
  • Be mindful of how you use your heating and cooling system: Turning your thermostat down a few degrees in winter and up a few in summer can cut your energy usage.
  • Insulate your home for better temperature regulation: Insulating your windows can keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. It can also help to reduce strain on your heating and cooling system.

How to Reduce Your Spending Footprint

Regardless of what you buy, every item affects the environment to some degree. Luckily, you can reduce your spending footprint by:

  • Visiting thrift stores for used items: Buying recycled clothing is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. You can often find new or one-of-a-kind items at a fraction of the cost as well.
  • Frequenting stores closer to home: Supporting local shops offers many benefits. You will not release high amounts of emissions to travel, and you will support your local economy.
  • Shopping at sustainable companies: Sustainable companies are those that positively impact the environment. By buying sustainably made products, you will support green business while lowering your own carbon footprint.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With ecoATM Today

At ecoATM, we want to help you reduce your carbon footprint with our ecoATM kiosks. Our simple system allows you to recycle or sell your old cell phone for cash in as little as 10 minutes.

Prevent your phone from ending up in a landfill by finding an ecoATM kiosk near you today!