10 Ways to Live With a Smaller Carbon Footprint
Take these simple steps to reduce your energy use and cut back on waste
Laura Gaskill
April 20, 2019
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
From the first disposable coffee cup of the morning to the drive home in rush-hour traffic, many things we do daily have an effect on the planet. But looking at the big picture can be overwhelming — where can we begin? Choosing to make a few impactful shifts at home to shrink your carbon footprint is a great place to start. Read on for 10 doable ways to reduce your carbon impact, and save a little cash along the way to boot.
What Is a Carbon Footprint?
Your carbon footprint is a measurement of all of the greenhouse gas emissions created through the things you buy, use and do. This takes into account the full life span of the things you use, not only the (relatively) short amount of time they’re in your possession. For instance, when thinking about an item’s overall carbon footprint, you would look at how it was manufactured, the impact of using it and what happens to it when it’s no longer useful.
1. Get a Professional Energy Assessment
In a professional energy assessment (also called an energy audit), an energy auditor will look over past utility bills and conduct a room-by-room examination of your home — often including a blower door test and thermographic scan — to get a full picture of where your home is losing energy.
After completing the assessment, your energy auditor will provide you with recommendations for changes you can make to improve your home’s energy efficiency, such as sealing air leaks, fixing ventilation issues, improving insulation and upgrading heating and cooling equipment. For the best results, aim to implement as many of your energy auditor’s suggestions as possible. To learn more about energy audits, the U.S. Department of Energy provides a helpful guide to getting ready for your professional energy assessment.
Cool Your House (and Costs) With the Right Insulation
Your carbon footprint is a measurement of all of the greenhouse gas emissions created through the things you buy, use and do. This takes into account the full life span of the things you use, not only the (relatively) short amount of time they’re in your possession. For instance, when thinking about an item’s overall carbon footprint, you would look at how it was manufactured, the impact of using it and what happens to it when it’s no longer useful.
1. Get a Professional Energy Assessment
In a professional energy assessment (also called an energy audit), an energy auditor will look over past utility bills and conduct a room-by-room examination of your home — often including a blower door test and thermographic scan — to get a full picture of where your home is losing energy.
After completing the assessment, your energy auditor will provide you with recommendations for changes you can make to improve your home’s energy efficiency, such as sealing air leaks, fixing ventilation issues, improving insulation and upgrading heating and cooling equipment. For the best results, aim to implement as many of your energy auditor’s suggestions as possible. To learn more about energy audits, the U.S. Department of Energy provides a helpful guide to getting ready for your professional energy assessment.
Cool Your House (and Costs) With the Right Insulation
2. Use a Smart Thermostat
A large proportion of greenhouse gases come from burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas — and according to the U.S. Department of Energy, most of the electricity in the United States comes from burning coal or natural gas as well. So unless your home is run solely on wind or solar-powered electricity (in which case, bravo, you!) it’s a good idea to do what you can to moderate your heating and cooling use.
One simple and effective way to do this is by installing a programmable or smart thermostat. These are thermostats that can be controlled via your smartphone and programmed to adjust the temperature based on whether anyone is at home and the current weather conditions.
Shop for programmable and smart thermostats
A large proportion of greenhouse gases come from burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas — and according to the U.S. Department of Energy, most of the electricity in the United States comes from burning coal or natural gas as well. So unless your home is run solely on wind or solar-powered electricity (in which case, bravo, you!) it’s a good idea to do what you can to moderate your heating and cooling use.
One simple and effective way to do this is by installing a programmable or smart thermostat. These are thermostats that can be controlled via your smartphone and programmed to adjust the temperature based on whether anyone is at home and the current weather conditions.
Shop for programmable and smart thermostats
3. Swap Old Appliances for More-Efficient Models
Upgrading old appliances is more than cosmetic — if your refrigerator, washer, dryer and other appliances are older models, they may not be working as efficiently as they could. Replacing old appliances with energy-efficient models means you’ll use less energy to get the same jobs done. Look for the Energy Star symbol when shopping for new appliances to ensure they are verified for energy efficiency.
How to Choose and Use Eco-friendly Kitchen Appliances
Find appliances on Houzz
Upgrading old appliances is more than cosmetic — if your refrigerator, washer, dryer and other appliances are older models, they may not be working as efficiently as they could. Replacing old appliances with energy-efficient models means you’ll use less energy to get the same jobs done. Look for the Energy Star symbol when shopping for new appliances to ensure they are verified for energy efficiency.
How to Choose and Use Eco-friendly Kitchen Appliances
Find appliances on Houzz
4. Waste Less Food
Most of the food we throw away ends up in landfills, where it contributes to methane emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since shopping and eating is something we do every week, it makes sense to try to do better in this area. One simple first step is to do some meal planning each week so more of the fresh food you purchase gets eaten. And if you know you won’t get to something — like a loaf of fresh bread — before it goes bad, remember to pop it in the freezer instead of letting it go.
If you want to do more, consider composting your food scraps. If you have a garden, you may already have been thinking about composting — but there are ways to compost even if you live in an apartment. Whether you’re using your “black gold” on a lush backyard garden or a compact balcony container garden, your plants (and the planet) will thank you.
Get on a Composting Kick (Hello, Free Fertilizer!)
Most of the food we throw away ends up in landfills, where it contributes to methane emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since shopping and eating is something we do every week, it makes sense to try to do better in this area. One simple first step is to do some meal planning each week so more of the fresh food you purchase gets eaten. And if you know you won’t get to something — like a loaf of fresh bread — before it goes bad, remember to pop it in the freezer instead of letting it go.
If you want to do more, consider composting your food scraps. If you have a garden, you may already have been thinking about composting — but there are ways to compost even if you live in an apartment. Whether you’re using your “black gold” on a lush backyard garden or a compact balcony container garden, your plants (and the planet) will thank you.
Get on a Composting Kick (Hello, Free Fertilizer!)
5. Reduce Reliance on Disposables
While no one can deny the convenience of single-use plastics (especially when on the go), switching to reusable alternatives at home can go a long way toward reducing your household waste. Here are a few simple swaps to make in the kitchen:
While no one can deny the convenience of single-use plastics (especially when on the go), switching to reusable alternatives at home can go a long way toward reducing your household waste. Here are a few simple swaps to make in the kitchen:
- Real dishes and cloth napkins instead of paper and plasticware.
- Water-filtration system instead of plastic water bottles.
- Reusable bowl covers instead of plastic wrap.
- Microfiber cloths instead of paper towels for cleaning up.
6. Recycle Right
You’ve probably already got the basics of everyday recycling down pat — but what about items that are trickier to recycle? If you have electronics that are still functional, donate them to extend their useful life. When they’re ready to retire, find a recycling collection point that accepts e-waste and batteries. On a larger scale, if you’re remodeling your home, consider looking into ways of donating or recycling home remodeling materials from your project to ease landfill loads and cut greenhouse-gas emissions.
Where to Donate, Sell or Recycle Furniture and Electronics
You’ve probably already got the basics of everyday recycling down pat — but what about items that are trickier to recycle? If you have electronics that are still functional, donate them to extend their useful life. When they’re ready to retire, find a recycling collection point that accepts e-waste and batteries. On a larger scale, if you’re remodeling your home, consider looking into ways of donating or recycling home remodeling materials from your project to ease landfill loads and cut greenhouse-gas emissions.
Where to Donate, Sell or Recycle Furniture and Electronics
7. Right-Size Your Living Space
Living in fewer square feet means you need less energy to power your home. Not only is this a good thing for the earth, but you’ll benefit from long-term savings in heating, cooling and cleaning too. And right-sizing your living space doesn’t have to mean going tiny — even reducing your home’s footprint by a couple hundred square feet can make a big impact over time.
House Hunting: Find Your Just-Right Size Home
Living in fewer square feet means you need less energy to power your home. Not only is this a good thing for the earth, but you’ll benefit from long-term savings in heating, cooling and cleaning too. And right-sizing your living space doesn’t have to mean going tiny — even reducing your home’s footprint by a couple hundred square feet can make a big impact over time.
House Hunting: Find Your Just-Right Size Home
8. Consider Vintage and Antique Furniture
There are more sustainably crafted furniture and decor options available than ever before. But if you’re in the market for new furniture, the best option for the earth isn’t new at all. Vintage and antique furniture, rugs and other household items have character in spades, and you can feel good knowing that no new resources were tapped to make them. And bear in mind, it doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing decision: Simply put vintage and antique furniture on your radar as an option along with shopping for new pieces.
Smart Shopper: How to Judge Antique Furniture Quality
There are more sustainably crafted furniture and decor options available than ever before. But if you’re in the market for new furniture, the best option for the earth isn’t new at all. Vintage and antique furniture, rugs and other household items have character in spades, and you can feel good knowing that no new resources were tapped to make them. And bear in mind, it doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing decision: Simply put vintage and antique furniture on your radar as an option along with shopping for new pieces.
Smart Shopper: How to Judge Antique Furniture Quality
9. Make It Easier to Bike
You can have the best intentions to bike more and drive less, but if pulling out the bikes is a serious pain, chances are you’re not going to make it happen too often. Make it more appealing to bike by rethinking your bike-storage situation. Could you fit a bike shed or covered bike rack outdoors in a secure location, or install a wall-mounted bike rack indoors? Having a conveniently located, well-designed bike-storage area makes it just as easy (if not easier) to hop on your two-wheels than get in your car and drive.
20 Ways to Store and Style Your Bike Inside
You can have the best intentions to bike more and drive less, but if pulling out the bikes is a serious pain, chances are you’re not going to make it happen too often. Make it more appealing to bike by rethinking your bike-storage situation. Could you fit a bike shed or covered bike rack outdoors in a secure location, or install a wall-mounted bike rack indoors? Having a conveniently located, well-designed bike-storage area makes it just as easy (if not easier) to hop on your two-wheels than get in your car and drive.
20 Ways to Store and Style Your Bike Inside
10. Plant Trees and Shrubs
Neighborhoods with lots of shade trees can be up to 6 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than neighborhoods without the benefit of shade, according to the U.S. Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research. Consider planting trees where they can shade your driveway or parking area to keep your car cooler (which can reduce emissions) and sited around your house to help minimize heating and cooling costs.
8 Reasons to Plant a Great Tree
Your turn: What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint? Share your ideas in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Get ideas and inspiration for your next project
Find a pro specializing in sustainable design
Find eco-friendly products
Neighborhoods with lots of shade trees can be up to 6 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than neighborhoods without the benefit of shade, according to the U.S. Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research. Consider planting trees where they can shade your driveway or parking area to keep your car cooler (which can reduce emissions) and sited around your house to help minimize heating and cooling costs.
8 Reasons to Plant a Great Tree
Your turn: What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint? Share your ideas in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Get ideas and inspiration for your next project
Find a pro specializing in sustainable design
Find eco-friendly products
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Having to wash the recycling thoroughly and wash cloth cleaning rags does use a lot of water. Paper towels are best for grease. Sometimes you must be practical. I try to minimize the air conditioner but I live in an old house with plaster walls and situated over a basement. So even on very hot days the house stays pretty bearable and I only turn on the AC to sleep. I hang a lot of clothes to dry on racks but I have a big basement so it is not unsightly. I do compost vegetable scraps, fruit rinds and eggshells by tossing them onto a pile outside the back door. But so far as I can tell the squirrels eat them before they become fertilizer. This is OK. I've only recently become aware that thrown away food also gives off methane. So I am striving to be less wasteful. If I did not think that riding a bicycle in my city were so dangerous it might be an option. We have no bike paths whatsoever and lots of very large fast cars and trucks on very narrow streets.
Disagree with #3, getting new "energy efficient" appliances. I wanted someting without a big agitator after 2 matress pads had damage. And wanted an automatic second warm rinse. Lots of greasy clothes. Bought a new washing machine and in 2 years it started having issues. Pausing for hours and not continuing. The company said ALL their washing machines had circuit boards now. A repairman had told me he has to tell many that their 2 year old machines are not worth fixing. So the 30 plus year old Maytag sat outside just in case on the ranch. Brought it back to the house and it is sitting outside being used in the rain while I wait for a warranty repairman. The question becomes how energy efficient is an energy star appliance that needs replaced several times, about 12 machines to 1 in this case. The bulk of the machine bodies discarded over circuot board failures. And all the repair and delivery trips.
To Shelley in the UK, mocking is not nice however, I need to tell you that yes, many Americans constantly think about how we can be more aware of using less and being more conscious of our environment just like you! Not all Americans live in big houses and waste energy and I agree on the consumer culture issue but it's everywhere not just China and the US, it's the UK as well. We all waste too much and don't think about how items are made and the effect on our environment. We can begin in our own homes to look at how we buy, how we live and work on one thing at a time. Being thoughtful, reading and learning about the products we love and how buying and/or using them affects where we live and the rest of the world. Teaching and learning doesn't come well with mocking or making fun of or accusing without knowing the whole story, it comes from patience and thoughtfulness in all that we do.