I had to calculate my carbon foot print for a health (!) class and come up with five ways to reduce it. I had so much fun, I decided to do a few extra. I post my list, as I turned it in, here:
I have a carbon footprint of about 7.4 tons a year, about 1/3 the national average, and I've never even given it a thought. Most of the reason for this low number is due to the fact that I lead a (relatively) simple life due to religious convictions and common sense, along with a a good dose of frugality. These are some of the potential changes I've come up with:
1. Move to a smaller house (The 392 square foot place I'm in now is just so big. I would, but you can't build a legal house with a smaller footprint.)
2. Use zero cooling instead of a swamp cooler (which uses 1/2 the electricity of an air conditioner)
3. Take more online classes to reduce driving (I would but I always take the online option if it's available, so this one's an you, [name of school].)
4. I could drive a Tata Nano (I would, but the state of California won't let me, or anyone else, because they think the Nano is too dangerous for it's occupants - and they have decided not to lat me make my own choice in the matter of my personal safety, thinking they can live my life for me better than I can.)
5. I could jump off a cliff before I get married and have children ["Basically, too many people are the problem" -- One of the instructors, today, Aug. 2010] (But that's obviously poor idea: I don't get to decide when I die, that's God's job.)
6. I could disconnect my tankless water heater, and just use cold water.
7. I could throw away my bread machines and make my bread purely by hand, and cook it in an "eco-oven."
8. I could also buy 100 lb. sacks of flour, instead of 50 lb. sacks to reduce packaging.
2 comments:
Well you are awfully selfish..not jumping off a cliff and all to save the environment...My reduction came in the form of using old t-shirts and cutting them into hankies, using cloth napkins (that I got for free from my grandma's dining room), making my own laundry soap (cheap, less packaging and now yucky chemicals), hand made bread (I am trying to convince Kevin to make me a solar oven to cook it in) and oh yes, the clothesline (or in my case the close-fence, as I don't have a line at my current residence). Mind you, I have done these things primarily to save money, but saving the environment was a free gift with purchase...lol
Try turning off the evil air conditioner.
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