Five ways to reduce your carbon footprint

Climate change is real, but not unsolvable. There are several steps which we can take to save the planet from an ever-changing climate. Below are the five ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

These are the 5 R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, rot, recycle:

Practicing zero waste formula  is a great step towards combating climate change. We always here about three R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. But there are two more that are also equally important to reduce the carbon footprint.

·         Reduce – Downsize what you purchase, opting to be more mindful of what you really need.

·         Reuse – Always find a way to keep an item out of the landfill by keeping it in great condition, repairing or up cycling it when it breaks.

·         Rot – You can Set up a compost system for your food scraps, or find a food scrap drop off center (like a farmers market, or community garden) near your house.

·         Recycle – Maximize the recycling of  any plastic, paper, glass or metal that comes into your contact which you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse by researching your state’s recycling laws.

Bike more and drive less:

Traditional cars throws a lot of exhaust into the air, which promotes to pollutes the air. In fact, vehicles produce one-third of all U.S. air pollution. The toxins emitted by vehicles are also very dangerous for human health, considering the tailpipes are at street level where humans can breathe the air directly into their lungs. Challenge yourself to drive less and bike more. Riding your bike forces you to utilize your own energy/muscle power. Better to  take a public transportation which automatically helps in reducing the exhaust air.

Conserve water and protect our waterways:

Reducing your water usage is essential: There’s only so much water on this earth, and we can’t make any more of it. 96.5 percent of the water on earth is too salty for human consumption? Two thirds of the remaining fresh water has been locked in polar ice, glaciers, and permanent snow.

Melting it won’t help, seeing as most of it will just end up as sea water. That’s why it’s so important to cherish the water we have. Here are a few ways to help conserve water and protect our waterways: When you brush your teeth, be sure to shut off the water while you lather up. Don’t leave it running: Only turn it on when it’s time to rinse your mouth out.

·         Take shorter showers.

·         One flush can save up to 5 or 7 gallons of water.

·         Avoid dish/body soaps filled with toxins. As  the conventional dish and body soap contain ingredients that go down into the drain and it helps to pollute our water supply. Better to use all-natural, eco-friendly soap.

·         Host or join a waterway cleanup in your local community. Keep those waters plastic free!

·         Opt for reusables.

·         A single disposable diaper takes 144 gallons of water. There are several other products, like paper plates, cups and towels, that gallons of water to make as well. That’s why switching to reusables will help you save water in the long run.

GE3S provides carbonfootprint services to its clients across sectors. We have helped clients in achieving carbon-neutral certification.  Contact vishal.kumar@ge3s.org for more information.