Make a Smaller Footprint for Earth Day

We all have a carbon footprint. This is the amount of carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases that we produce just going about our business in the course of a year. Greenhouse gases warm the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.

As Earth Day, April 22, approaches, we can all do a something to reduce our carbon footprints by using less energy and producing less trash. Many of these reductions are easy and some are excellent ways to save money as well.

Transportation: Plan a route before you leave your home to run errands- you will use less gas than if you drive around. Drive less by combining errands or even bicycle or walk whenever you can. Keep your engine tuned up and running as efficiently as possible and keep your tires properly inflated. Gas prices are up past $3.80 a gallon and may keep rising, so reducing the carbon footprint of your car is both economical and ecological. 

If you are in the market for a car, choose a fuel efficient one, such as a hybrid or electric car. Several gas-powered cars now get more than 33 miles to the gallon. Honda has eight different models that get more than 30 mpg, said Ashley Cerutti, internet sales associate at Curry Honda on Crompond Road. "Our highest mileage car is the Insight, which gets 43 highway and 40 city," she said. "It is a hybrid."

Your house: You can minimize the carbon footprint of your house by making sure it is insulated as well as possible and that windows close properly. Installing good weather stripping helps, too. Another household fix is to install compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use about one-fourth the electricity of incandescent bulbs. You can watch your electricity and fuel bills shrink along with your carbon footprint.

Choose an Energy Star rated model whenever you can if you need replace an appliance. According to Rob Kasparian, a salesperson at Atlantic Appliance in Yorktown Heights, many appliances available now have earned the blue Energy Star seal. The exceptions are clothes dryers and ranges, none of which have been Energy Star rated.

It is not just a matter of the newer models using less electricity. A clothes washer once used about 40 gallons of water to do a wash, Kasparian said. There is now a washing machine that gets clothes clean using only 4 gallons of water (see #4 below.)

Even if you don't choose an Energy Star rated appliance, most appliances made today use less energy than similar models once did, according to Kasparian.

"Even from three years ago to now there is a huge energy savings," he said.

Buy locally and organically: Whenever possible, buy locally grown produce and locally made goods. Everything you buy has to be shipped from somewhere and the closer to you that somewhere is, the less fuel used. During the growing season, there are several produce stands or farmer's markets that have locally grown fruits and vegetables. has a farm stand and also has demonstrations on organic farming techniques.

Save water: Reducing the amount of water that you use also shrinks your carbon footprint because it takes energy to transport water and to heat it. Wash your clothes in cold water and only wash full loads. Fix dripping faucets. Install water-conserving showerheads and toilets in your house.

Pay attention to packaging: It seems that everything we buy is packaged in large amounts of plastic and cardboard. Whenever possible, buy the products with the smallest amounts of packaging.

You can find out the carbon footprint for you and your family by using this online calculator.

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