What have you done to reduce your family's carbon foot print?

Question

And how much have you reduced it?

You can use this calculator: http://web.conservation.org/xp/CIWEB/programs/climatechange/carboncalculator.xml

I was hoping to get some answers with more actual calculations of before and after carbon foot prints. I would also like to point out that even very large reductions in carbon emissions does not need to be painful. Here is my experience. Starting back in 2002 my family was producing about 37 tons of CO2 per year. In that year I bought a Prius and also installed solar panels on our house. The next year my wife replaced her minivan with a station wagon. Those changes reduced our CO2 emissions by nearly 50% to about 20 tons per year. It is also worth noting that these changes are saving us about $4000 per year in reduced fuel and electricity costs. Our lives are just as comfortable now as they were before, so it is possible to make big painless changes.

GW naysayers why all the hate? You're harshing my mellow ;-). Guilty conscience? John, the US average per-person carbon footprint is about 20 tons per year (as of 2003). My three-person family's footprint is about 20 tons per year, one third of the US average. My prior car had 180,000 miles on it when I sold it to buy my Prius, which now is five years old, not exactly extravagant. John, I have told you my carbon footprint, I invite you to calculate yours and compare.

Answer 1

Bought a Prius.
Bike to work every day.
Got an Energy Star fridge.
Improved insulation.
Installed CFLs.
Wrapped water heater in a blanket.
Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.
Turn the thermostat to 82 degrees in summer and 60 in the winter.

We've reduced it a lot!

Answer 2

More people could do with following your example. It shows that you can make a difference without making sacrifices and save money at the same time.

My immediate family consists of my girlfriend and myself and although it pains me, we have a large carbon footprint - it's usually about 40 tons a year carbon equivalence (about 26 tons of carbon and the equivalent of another 14 tons from other emissions), at present it will be closer to 100 tons. Both Claire and myself do a lot of travelling in connection with work and between us took over 20 international flights last year and drove about 50,000 miles. Fortunately the companies we work for / with are carbon negative and all work related emissions are offset. Taking the work aspect out of the equation we're at about 12 tons per annum, (the average for two UK adults would be 22 tons).

We're currently renovating a property from a shell and this will be adding something like 50 tons of emissions per year, we've already planted several hundred trees in the immediate vacinity of the property which will help offset the emissions associated with the building work.

We've taken many of the practical steps such as the ones you mentioned and last year a friend and I went out to Africa and planted approximately 50,000 trees in three different locations. After 15 years each tree will lead to a net reduction of 40kg of atmospheric CO2 per year and throughout the entire life cycle of all the trees they should result in a net reduction of approx 100,000 tons of CO2 (50% mortaility, 100 year lifespan, 40kg net sequestration per annum).

As you know from your own experience, carbon reduction needn't be a painful experience. The two of us shared the cost of the tree planting and it cost about $2500 each. It's the equivalent of making 5000 US citizens carbon neutral for a year at a cost of $1 each.

Answer 3

More rich yuppies talking down to the rest of us. I can't afford a prius or a station wagon much less both of them. How big is your electric bill Mr Bigshot? As big as Al Gore's? My carbon footprint as you call it is probably a whole lot smaller than yours and I've done nothing. Can't afford to. How big a footprint does 25,000,000 illegal aliens have? Doing anything about that? Just more self righteous hogwash.

Answer 4

We've replaced nearly all our lightbulbs with compact florescent ones. I'm more proactive about bringing cloth bags when we go shopping *and* making sure the baggers actually use them (some of them apparently think it's funny to "accidentally" use plastic while I'm rummaging for exact change-- now I watch them). We've reached the point where we actually re-use or recycle more than we toss each week. I've been vegetarian for 20 years & my SO has been for 9 years. We're using the AC much less than last summer. We buy packages of toilet paper with 1000-sheet rolls to cut down on packaging.
I'm *trying* to get my SO to have his car serviced regularly, to check the tire pressure more often & to wait until evening to get gas. I also encourage him to get shade-grown, fair-trade coffee & fair-trade chocolate.

Answer 5

Ours was never that big to begin with ....a modest size house a few minutes from work. I'm going to let everyone who lives in a 3500 sq. ft house out in the 'burbs solve global warming.

Or perhaps is the idea here that everyone has to suffer some, regardless of how much or how few scarce resources we actually use? You GWists need to address that one.

Answer 6

I've recently bought a larger car, I've increased the thermostat on my pool heater by 4 degrees, I make a point of using plenty of hot water, leaving lights on around the house, using the AC liberally, running the dishwasher at anytime it is more than half full, etc etc.

I'm doing my bit to make up for the problem of human stupidity. Use more energy!

Oh, and I recycle everything but metal because that is actually more energy intensive than using raw materials. Thank you to all the stupid people who think they are doing the opposite through recycling! You've been conned YET again!

Answer 7

Goody for you. All of that work that you did for nothing. My wife and I have our toys which leave a huge carbon footprint. We drive Chevy Silverados, we have a boat, a motorhome, and we each have a Harley. We are only going to live once and we're enjoying it

Answer 8

I for one stopped using carbon thereby eliminating any carbon foot print. I also stopped farting when I'm alone by spreading my gas to others who will breath in the gas and reduce it's impact on the ozone.

Answer 9

Jeff A. is funny! Anyway, We don't really turn on our AC as much as we have in the past few years, and we're recycling :D

Answer 10

be certain u constantly turn off lighting fixtures while u pass away the room. and constantly unplug ur laptop/ipad/iphone/something that makes use of standby power eg. toaster, fan and so on. (saves electrical energy and cuts ur power bill). wish it helps =)