Personal Actions

The quickest and easiest way to reduce global warming pollution starts with the little things we can all do every day to reduce our carbon footprint.

Here are some tips on things you can do to cut your emissions and unleash a clean energy future.

1. Calculate your pollution - Learn how much carbon you produce by answering a few quick questions on our carbon calculator. Then, check out our tips to reduce your global warming pollution.
2. Switch your light bulbs - It's a simple task and the reward is great. The new, high quality compact fluorescent blubs offer the same quality of light as regular bulbs but use a fraction of the electricity. On average, they last 15 times longer than regular blubs! If every household replaced just three 60-watt incandescent bulbs with better bulbs, it would be equivalent to taking 3.5 million cars off the road. Get yours today.
3. Save energy at home - The energy we use at home accounts for about a fifth of U.S. global warming pollution. That means making smart choices at home matters. Find out what you can do about heating, cooling and appliances.
4. Drive Efficiently - For many of us, there are times when we have to use a car - whether to drive to work, pick up groceries or travel a long way from home. Luckily, there are ways to reduce tailpipe pollution when on the road. Check out our efficient driving tips today.
5. BYO…Bottle - It's tempting and easy to pop into a store, grab a bottle of water and be on your way. If you recycle the bottle, there's no problem right? Think again. Less than 20 percent of water bottles purchased in the US are recycled. So next time you're on your way out the door, fill up your own re-usable water bottle. If you must buy a bottle of H20, look for bottles produced with less plastic and be sure to recycle!
6. BYO…Bag - Did you know that the plastic bags you're given at countless stores can take up to 1000 years to break down in a land fill? Yikes! Next time you're shopping, shop smart. Whether for food, clothes, gifts or other products bring your own bag, or two or three.
7. Recycle - It is estimated that recycling just half of household-generated waste saves up to 2400 pounds of CO2 per year. If it's not already part of your weekly routine, it should be! If you can't recycle at home, bring it to your office [if your office recycles]. If you live in an area where recycling isn't an option, get you interested friends, family and colleagues together and contact your local officials. It's one of the easiest ways to reduce waste, energy use and global warming pollution.
8. Be Mindful When Eating - Purchasing local food is a fresher, healthier way to eat while supporting the local economy. Not all of us have access to a famers market, community garden or little patch of space for a few plants but when convenient, purchasing locally or growing your own food is a wonderful way to put food on your table. You're helping cut down the carbon produced from trucks and planes bringing in shipments of food from all over the world to a grocery store - or restaurant - near you.
9. Walk, Bike or Take Public Transportation - Where available, taking public transportation is an excellent way to reduce your carbon footprint. And when convenient, walking the extra ½ mile or 10 blocks to your office, or biking to your next appointment, will not only reduce your global warming pollution but will make you healthier too!
10. Educate Yourself - Renewable energy is just a Google search away! If you're curious about other ways you can bring renewable energy into your home or community, take a few minutes to do some online research. Learning what others are doing to utilize green energy and reduce their global warming pollution may give you some ideas. Who knows, maybe you'll be adding solar panels to your house some day!

Posted: 01-Jan-1900; Updated: 01-Jan-1900