Tips to Help Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

I've switched to cfl's--and yes, you can find them in spotlights so you don't have to see the coils coming out of the ceiling! Cloth bags are always with me to avoid using plastic store bags. I'm a big reuse, recycle person and a big believer in freecycle.com to pass on things I don't need any more.

I made cloth napkins for us and no longer use paper napkins, use paper towels sparingly and only when the mess is too great/gross for washcloths and take reusable, cloth bags shopping. We regularly donate used items to thrift stores who use the profits to support a ministry and recycle everything we can. Also, I make most cleaners for the house and reuse spray bottles for them.

Rather than use a toxic bug spray to repel bugs in my mail box (earwigs yuck) and under the deck I put the small bars of hotel soap.

cut back on your driving/gas consumption - carpool, walk, or ride a bike!

Last year I made a Rain Barrel to collect rain & water my flowers & garden with. It REALLY saved me money & it's much more healthy for my plants being that there are no chemicals in the rain like the harsh water we have at our house.

Try composting. You can use a simple 50 gal. garbage can with several holes cut out, buried 2ft below the ground, or you can buy a composer at your local DIY store. Throw in all kitchen scraps and coffee grounds, and soon you'll have an excellent source of fertilizer for the garden. It couldn't be any easier! And you'll be amazed at how much less garbage you'll have to take out!

I encourage my family to use items that can be re-used like sandwich and snack containers as well as water bottles. I also re-use plastic containers for freezing items and re-use wax cereal bags for storing things in the refrigerator or taking a sandwich on a picnic or to work.

We started composting about two years ago, and I have to tell you it was SHOCKING how much it reduced the amount of trash we take to the curb. We also recycle whatever we can- somehow our family of five manages to fill two recycle receptacles every week. Better than landfilling- but we need to look at ways of reducing our overall consumption too...

I have a few (mostly repeats...from the other comments) *use e-coupons instead of paper *compost *have a garden and can extras for later *rain barrels to use for watering plants/flowers/grass *use green cleaners that are safer for environment *recycle all paper and the plastics/aluminums/glass that our center will accept * try to do all errands on one day to use less gas and less car pollution *turn off water when brushing teeth

I have a rain barrell to water my plants outside. When I make hard boiled eggs or pasta I save the water fro my plants inside. I reuse paper from my printer. When I come in from the garage I turn off the light instead of lietting it turn off in 3 or 4 minutes with no one in the garage. I alwys lookk at things and think what can I do with this before throwing it out.

I just read having one veggie meal a week saves a whole lot of water. So i can do a bean burger..there not as bad as they sound with some lettuce and tomato

Rethink using ziploc bags and use a plastic container instead whenever possible - for storing cut lemons, cat food, you name it.

I recycle almost everything, buy local, and bring my own bags to the grocery stores.

When you consider the environmental inputs of food production, one of the best things you can do to preserve petrochemicals, oxygen, water, labor, transport, packaging, etc. costs is to use everything you buy. Become a maestro with leftovers. Plan your meals. Vow never to waste meat. First, know how many meals you can get out of that pack of meat. 1/4 lb. per person is a sensible portion, but Americans usually eat more, so start at 1/2 lb. if you're feeding a meat-and-potatoes family. Then plan how you'll use the meat for all the meals you get out of it. The first night, make something fairly simple but flavorful. The 2nd time, add a sauce, salsa, gravy or topping. The 3rd, turn it into casserole, soup, stew, stir-fry, or tacos. As you grow skilled at turning meat into a series of lovely & unique meals rather than "leftovers, again?!" apply the same planning to vegetables and grains. Oh, and bonus - you'll save cooking energy and time, to boot!

We have been doing two things: refilling water bottles with filtered water from the fridge, and using empty plastic bottles and cans in gardening. By placing them at the bottom of pots and about a foot down in gardens, they provide great drainage. In addition, you need less dirt to fill your pots and prepare your gardens!