April is Earth
Day Month. What better time to share important information regarding personal
actions we can all take to minimize our own contribution to the Climate Crisis.
Please read and share if you would. We have put this same information together
in print form and are happy to share these handouts. Contact us if you have a
class, an organization, a house of worship, etc. where you’d like to share
these.
What is a Carbon
Footprint?
Hopefully,
we’ve all learned by now that the climate is changing due to humanity’s release
of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. Each of
us contributes to climate change. Our carbon footprint is a measure of that
contribution.
The
United States has a uniquely large carbon footprint. Per capital our GHG
emissions are roughly twice that of other affluent countries (Germany, Japan,
France, UK, etc.) and in the ballpark of 10-30 times that of developing nations
(most of Africa, India, Indonesia, etc.). This means that we are not only most
responsible for the Climate Crisis, but also best positioned to make a
difference through changing our consumption patterns.
As
you can see from the pie chart, we use a great deal of energy in our homes, for
food production, in transporting ourselves about and embedded in the goods we
consume. We offer herein some suggestions for shrinking one’s footprint. We
recognize that each of us is in our own unique situation. Some of these tips
might work well for you; others may not. While none of us can do everything,
everybody can do something. Make positive changes where you can.
Reducing Home
Energy Use:
We
use energy in our homes to heat, cool, cook, heat water, run appliances, etc. It
adds up to about 25 percent of our carbon footprint. Here are some ways to save
some of that energy:
•
A
great way to start is a home energy audit. Columbia Water & Light customers
can get one for free.
•
Making
sure your home is properly insulated and weatherized will save energy heating
and cooling. Utilities have programs that can help homeowners with rebates
and/or low interest loans.
•
Consider
installing solar for electricity and water heating. Rebates are available.
•
Renters
can also have audits done; can benefit in one season from weatherizing; and can
encourage their landlords to insulate.
•
In
general, turning things off when not in use is the cheapest and easiest thing
one can do to save energy. Likewise, backing off heating and cooling when away
or when sleeping can yield considerable savings.
•
When
buying appliances, seek out Energy Star-certified units. More efficient
appliances generally have quick pay-backs and end up saving both energy and
money.
•
Newer
refrigeration and AC units are much more efficient. If your current units are
older, you might save money by retiring them sooner, rather than later.
•
Low-flow
shower heads not only save water, they also save the energy used to heat water.
•
Line
drying clothes reduces energy use significantly.
•
While
this might not be an immediate option, downsizing to a smaller house, condo or apartment
will, all else equal, save energy.
Transportation
& Travel
Local
transportation and travel combine to account for more than a quarter of our
carbon footprint, on average. There are ways to reduce both.
•
Locating
your residence close enough to work or school so you can walk or bike at least
some of the time is a big help.
•
Choosing
a fuel-efficient car can yield big savings. Hybrids or e-cars are worth
checking out, if you can afford it.
•
Scooters
or e-bikes work well for some.
•
Carpooling
or using mass transit reduces footprints significantly.
•
When
running errands make a plan that gets as much done as possible driving the
fewest miles. Consider pairing up with a friend who also needs to go shopping,
etc.
•
When
it comes to longer distance travel, try, when possible, to avoid unnecessary
trips. Some work-related tasks can be done by video conference, saving money and
energy.
•
If
possible, take a train rather than a plane.
•
Consider
vacation destinations closer to home. The Ozarks are beautiful and close. Try a
staycation, at least now and then.
•
If
going longer distances, stay longer to make the most of the fuel burned to get
you there. Fewer vacations of longer duration yield energy and monetary
savings.
Greening-Up Our
Diets
The
food we eat (or waste) amounts to roughly 15 percent of our footprint. While
dietary choices are often sensitive issues, and we are not aiming to tell you
what to eat, or what not to, here are some suggestions to consider:
• Consider eating lower on the food
chain. That means less animal products, as these are the most energy/resource
intensive of all foods. Try a vegetarian meal now and then. Alternatively try
dishes in which meat is an ingredient, rather than the centerpiece of the meal.
•
Consider
pasture-raised meat options, as growing grains and beans to feed to animals
leads to a much larger carbon footprint.
•
Consider
poultry, pork or fish, rather than beef or lamb, as ruminants produce large
quantities of methane, a potent GHG.
•
Grow
your own. Most of us won’t grow the bulk of our food, but growing what we can
helps, and it is really satisfying, connecting us to the Earth.
•
Whenever
you can, buy local and organic. Local has less embedded transportation energy.
Organic methods lead to more carbon sequestration in the soil. Small scale
production is also less mechanized, thus requires less fuel.
•
Fresh
fruits in winter are often shipped by air from Chile. The transportation
footprint for air freight is huge.
•
Through
good planning do what you can to cut down on food waste. Roughly 33-40 percent
of all food taken to market and roughly 20 percent of all food purchased by
consumers goes to waste. Reducing waste means reducing GHG emissions.
