What is Carbon Footprint?

Carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere due our own actions like driving, using electricity, consuming food etc. It is expressed as expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e).

The greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, fluorinated gases and water vapor trap the heat in the atmosphere and leads to global warming.

Carbon Footprint calculator

To calculate your carbon footprint, you should know the following details:

1. What is your monthly energy consumption
2. How many miles do you travel using your own car or public transport everyday
3. What kind of diet do you eat
4. How much shopping and what kind of products do you purchase.

Once you have this information you can Calculate Your Carbon Footprint here.

How can I reduce my Carbon Footprint?

The first step is to understand your responsibilities as an individual to contribute in safeguarding the environment. Making small changes in your lifestyle can bring a huge difference and reduce your carbon footprint. Here are different ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

Switch to Renewable energy sources:

One of the most effective ways to reduce the usage of fossil fuels is to switch to renewable energy sources like wind, solar, tidal, etc. Look at the green energy source wherever possible. Power up your homes with renewable energy sources.

Drive less:

Try to minimize the usage of cars and prefer using public transport. The pollution caused due to the vehicles on road is one of the major reasons for carbon emissions. Our aim should be to reduce the number of vehicles on road and use bicycles or prefer to walk and carpool wherever possible.

Eat Less Meat:

According to the experts cutting down on meat especially red meat and adopting plant based diet is more sustainable and good for the environment. The livestock farming requires lot of resources like the land, water and feed. Also the livestock are major reason for the emission of the methane gas which is a major greenhouse gas.

What is a Sustainable Diet and how we can Adopt it?

Use energy efficient devices:

Replacing the regular bulbs and lights with LED and energy-efficient devices will not only help in reducing energy consumption and will also help in saving money. It is the cheapest way and the easiest way to reduce carbon emissions.

Turn off electronic devices:

Turn off electronic devices like televisions, music players, computers, etc. when not in use. This will not only help to reduce energy consumption but can reduce thousands of tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

Recycle:

Always prefer buying eco-friendly or recyclable products. Recycle the products with materials like paper, bottles, aluminum foils, newspapers, etc. Recycling will help in reducing the landfills and also the CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Reduce waste:

Landfills are the major source of methane and greenhouse gases. Also, the open burning of waste releases toxic gases into the atmosphere resulting in global warming.

Plant trees:

The best method to reduce global warming is the plant more and more trees. Trees not only give oxygen but also absorb the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. A single tree can absorb up to 1 ton of CO2 in its life ton, hence we should aim to plant more and more trees and prevent the cutting down of existing ones.

Use less hot water:

Limit the usage of hot water in your daily chores like washing clothes, dishes, etc. Also, avoid taking frequent hot water showers or use less hot water. Such simple steps will drastically reduce energy consumption.

Save water:

This is the most basic and important step that we all should be following and teaching our younger ones. Remember to close the taps while brushing your teeth and avoid going for long showers. Also, reduce the number of car and bike washes with water, instead prefer the dry wash.

Spread Awareness:

It is very important to educate everyone about the consequence of global warming and how our simple steps can make a huge difference in saving our earth for our future generations to come.

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