Have you changed your life to reduce your carbon footprint? If so - how?

Question

Whether it's switching to public transport instead of driving, installing energy efficient light bulbs, using the clothes line instead of the dryer or buying carbon off-sets, there are a lot of things we can do in our everyday lives to reduce our carbon footprint. What efforts do you make to be 'green'? - Malcolm Turnbull

Answer 1

We do a number of things in our household to reduce our carbon footprint. We're using energy efficient light globes throughout the house wherever practicable (about 30 at last count), and we try to turn them off when not in use/needed. We use water saving shower roses, which not only cuts water usage but also reduces the amount of energy needed for heating less water. We use clothes lines wherever possible, but sometimes the weather or needs demands we use the dryer. We only ever use the dryer on medium. We use cold water for washing clothes. We purchased an energy efficient air conditioner, and use that sparingly. We bought a house within walking distance to the train station, so we can minimise the use of the cars, and we purchased smaller, more fuel-efficient cars than what we had before. We recycle glass, plastics, paper and cardboard to the maximum extent we can (Council collects every two weeks). We mulch lawn clippings in the garden. And we often use re-usable shopping bags to bring the groceries home in, but these are getting harder to find in some stores.

We'd like to collect rain water to use to top up our pool, but we don't have room to place a rainwater tank or the funds to buy one. When our fridge carks it, we'll update to an energy efficient model. Can't afford to replace it while it's working well.

That's about it. I thought of buying carbon offsets, but since we've no way to guarantee the trees planted as a result of this would never get cut down, it seems to be of limited value. Maybe my next car will be a diesel model or electric/petrol hybrid. Haven't decided yet (economics will drive this decision too).

EDIT: we also have a dual flush loo, and we both live close to work (within 10 minutes). We also buy green electricity, which costs a little more, but we think is worth the cost.

Answer 2

I've changed my carbon footprint albeit in ways I'd never have expected. Three years ago I was green concious but still left a pretty big print with my SUV and wasteful energy practice. I washed and dried clothes after only one wear, left the A/C on when I wasn't home and I drove my SUV everywhere, even to the corner market. This all changed when my frustration with US politics and predatory comercialism reached a point where I fled the country. Now I live in, of all places, China. Now I dont drive a car, I ride an electric bike. I dont wash my clothes until they need them and I line dry them (no dryers in so China), My new wife has driven home the need for water/power conservation, not out of any green agenda, but rather from a lifetime of being too poor to afford such luxuries. The fact that we can afford it is irrelevant, it's simply not necessary. I've learned the lesson that excessive energy consumption is a cultural disese. Yes, China is the most polluted place I have ever lived. The poor air quality sometime is so bad my eyes burn and the toxic waters have me swearing off fish and avoiding untreated drinking water. Don't blame the common person however, the problem again is a societal one. Deng Xiao Peng told the masses that to be rich is glorious and then he removed any barriers to unscrupulous methods of achieveing said glory. China is rising on the fumes and exhusts from ten thousand factories all dumping unhindered. Maybe the question being asked should be directed at a bigger entitiy. Say governments and mega corporations. The common man is doing what he can.

Answer 3

We do use energy-efficient bulbs in our home & recycle plastic & aluminum, but that's about all that we do that you would likely consider "green". The carbon footprint is a hoax created by those with a political agenda! There is NOT a scientific consensus as you & others would have us believe. I could site several sources, but since my answer will fall on deaf ears anyway, I'll only site one from this week. http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,176495.shtml

EDIT: I didn't realize that hanging clothes to dry instead of using the dryer is "green". We do that too & have for over 20 years. BTW, the light bulbs are more cost-efficient which is why we use them. Also, the recycling is for local charities one uses the money from the aluminum to help teenage mothers & the plastics are recycled into coats for low-income children.

Answer 4

Hi, I am writting this little ditty from Wales in the UK. We have government set quoters for recycling everthing. Can to Carboard, Clothes to Plasstic bottles all of which have to be removed from the Garbage can before it will be accepted by the collection truck. I hope that you have the same restrictions there. I would hate to be doing my bit for the planet only to find that some where else is messing it up. Some councils are only doing fortnightly collections rather than weekly. I am not sure about this. Mine is still weekly.
I practice what I preach in that have been vegetarian for 23 yrs, use the later technology to reduce me affect on the environment from not having an oven but using a combi oven grill and microwave. Light save bulbs are in every lamp except the halogen one that I am using now. Picking my own fruit from a farm and preserving it for the winter as jam or preserves. Onions drying in the shed and a small amount of flowers drying in the hallway for the home made christmas door wreath which I make every year. I have the most energy efficient washing machine with water reduced wash and I wash my cooking utensils and crockery by hand and have done so for 25yr of married life. The only luxury that I have is a dryer for the cold times to dry my clothes. I use public transport and have turned jobs down because I was unable to get there by bus. We have a car which my husband uses to travel the relatively short 100 or so mile to work every day. I am proud of the efforts I and my family are making but, and this is the big annoyance untill recently there was no government lead because they were afraid that the big multinational companies would stay away if we inssited that they cleaned up their mess as they went along. The environmental company audit did it in this country. The fact that the company had to show that they had taken into account their waste and it disposal,the number of car parking spaces are now taxed as a perk to the employees which made them think again and we got a cleaner company. I have used up my bragging space, but seriously it seems that it is not only the better off and better educated that are recycling here. I hope that this is to do with the excellent Ecology teachers in the primary school who are getting the message over to the very younge.
I am concerned about carbon offsetting, buying trees is all very good but it would be better for everyone if we just cut down the emissions in the first place and then planted the tress as well. I am seriously concerned about the Chineese rivers with their very hig banks eg Yanksee and yellow rivers they seem to afraid to loose control over the water flow incase itcause loss of face. surely letting the river flood over its flood plains whilst removing the people to higher ground can only be good for the ground. Replacing the trees at its source shoud be a crisis action by all the countries concerned. Rebalancing the environment in all areas is the most important way of reducing the rate of climate change. Canaling of river courses and the building of great dams is one way of producing electricity but at what cost? how many more people need to be displaced before we stop and listen to them. Money is not the answer. I am sorry that I have gone on a bit but it makes me so mad when thing go wrong and no one puts their hands up and cleans up the mess it has to be left to the volunteers like me to do it.

Answer 5

ousehold to reduce our carbon footprint. We're using energy efficient light globes throughout the house wherever practicable (about 30 at last count), and we try to turn them off when not in use/needed. We use water saving shower roses, which not only cuts water usage but also reduces the amount of energy needed for heating less water. We use clothes lines wherever possible, but sometimes the weather or needs demands we use the dryer. We only ever use the dryer on medium. We use cold water for washing clothes. We purchased an energy efficient air conditioner, and use that sparingly. We bought a house within walking distance to the train station, so we can minimise the use of the cars, and we purchased smaller, more fuel-efficient cars than what we had before. We recycle glass, plastics, paper and cardboard to the maximum extent we can (Council collects every two weeks). We mulch lawn clippings in the garden. And we often use re-usable shopping bags to bring the groceries home in, but these are getting harder to find in some stores.

Answer 6

The best research is coming from what we are just beginning to learn about the Suns role in our climate. Solar flares have been found to initiate earthquakes and other terrestrial based weather patterns, it makes sense climate change will be found to be among them. In 20 years we'll look back at this push for greener this and that and realise it had little effect. We are just too small in the scheme of things, althought some people think we are much smarter than all other species and we can control it. We can't. I would say there are people in the right places in government and big business who will make vast sums of money off this carbon footprint minimisation agenda. It just doesn't make sense, it makes dollars.

Answer 7

Fist I can reduce my carbon footprint by starting at home. Did you know that using the thermostat uses carbon? I decided that I can turn down the heating thermostat during the winter, and then in the summer I can turn up my air conditioner thermostat by a few degrees in the summer. Next I can turn off the lights when I am not in the room and other electronics as well when I am not using them. Speaking of lights I can replace the light bulbs in my house with incandescent light bulbs. Also there is a refrigerator that my family only uses every once in a while in my garage. I can unplug it when there is no food in it and if there is only a small amount of food in it I can move the food and then unplug it. Also I could ask my parents if they will replace the furnace in our house with an energy Star model. Another thing I can do is recycle the plastic in my house and not throw it away.
Second I can reduce my carbon footprint by changing my methods of transportation. Some of my friends live down the street from me, and when I want to go visit them I usually ask my parents to drive me, but instead I could walk or ride my bike. Also when my destination is further away, I can take more people with me when I go and get more done so I don’t have to go back out and use the car again. Also the next time my family is going to buy a new car I can ask them to look at the hybrid cars and see if they want to buy one of those types of cars. Also if they don’t like that type of car, I could maybe at least get them to buy a car that uses less gas per mile.
The next thing I can do to lower my carbon footprint is to change what my family and I buy, and where we buy it. When we go to the grocery store I can bring a bag instead of putting the groceries in the plastic or paper bags that the supermarkets usually give out. Next instead of buying fresh fruits and vegetables from the store my family and I can buy them from the local farmer’s market. Next while buying packaged food from the store I can make sure I buy the food that uses the least amount of paper to package their items. For example instead as getting a regular box of macaroni, instead of two packets of individual servings of macaroni.

Answer 8

Ahhh the BIG question...

First check out all containers wrappings buy in bulk at least one major item in a re-fill packet eg washing powders etc.,
Buy large jar or tin or what ever, of your products rather than several smaller bottles/jars. And also re-fill like a canister.
Avoid plastics ....I know difficult but!
I have the oldest but emmission controlled car and spares.
This motor is able to run on BIO-GAS too without a lot of modification - Mad Max move over ! ha ! I've had this type of car for more than twenty years.
OK it's a dinosaur, and a chrome dream but I've rarely had a major problem with these well built cars and think - how many lollypop 4cylinders would you have to buy to compete with that ???? Also ... easy to work on and fix yourself.
Build to last, not just to price.
If you HAD to make every penny ($) count - think how you would purchase anything from the next pair of boots to the aspect or position of your house. Buy a chiming pendulum clock - [wind up every 30 days]
The orientation or layout of the home is not just Fung Shwei
the draughts of air in Winter or the Sun in Summer will affect both heating and cooling - therefore ENERGY bills.
Try to build / buy / rent? your next home with this aspect in mind. Of course GO SOLAR - even garden lights could 'charge ' during the day for Mood lighting at night!!
I'm working on changing to 6 & 12 volt electricals throughout the home - like car / caravans - everything could be solar charged to a battery, except perhaps the Fridge but we have used a gas powered model once.
Old technologies pre electricity- are still good too!
Chill drinking water in a ceramic jar.Marble stone keeps food cool in kitchens. Grow herbs / veges in a window sill - a back veranda or driveway.
Save rainwater, flush carefully, re-cycle paper.
Stop pollution - Ride a horse bike or walk. Work from home and avoid commuting or reduce the use of petroleum.
Lights with motion sensors.
Work in safe -eco friendly environments - brought to you by the struggles of hard working people before you. And I suggest you think of the future as here NOW.
Change is inevitable like Broadband so save the planet and hot air vote Labor.

Answer 9

I thing the people will not use the clean technology if this is more expensive then conventional technologies. I work in sealing industry and here I learn something: the client want to know what can win himself if will buy my products! If the cost is more expensive then others the client will not care about environmental or other people! Yes the people are very selfish when is about money!

My way to protect the environment is to sell (and use myself) ecological products with same or cheaper price! Yes, it is possible, is working and I win also enough money! OK, the people don't realize they protect the environmental but the effect is very good!

But this is not all! I teach the others how to make this and my partners are growing exponentially. So if my partners are 10 next month will be 100 and next month 1000 and...you understand!

Sebastian Varga
environmentalist

"You be the change what you want to see on the world!"
Mohandas K. Gandhi

Answer 10

I believe the government should spend more money on trying to make better sources of energy like making solar panels more efficient or creating more wind farms. I also believe it would be a great investment for energy companies to get involved, because even though it will cost a lot of money to create these sources of energy it cost practically nothing to harvest the energy. But until that happens we should all do our part to help out in the situation. I don't have that much money to do a lot but I did change to energy efficient lights bulbs and lowered the air conditioner setting to around 78 degrees. I feel good about helping out the environment plus saving a lot of money on the electric bill !!!!!