Earth Day: 5 Ways To Start Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

ACROSS AMERICA — Earth Day, a global event to raise awareness for the protection of the environment, is Thursday. The observance has taken place annually on April 22 since it debuted in 1970.

Among the ways anyone can help the environment is by reducing their carbon footprint, which is the amount of greenhouse gases produced by our everyday activities. Every person’s carbon footprint varies based on a number of factors, including where they live, how many people are in their family and how many miles they drive per year.

People can find their approximate carbon footprint calculation based on those factors via Nature.org, which could be a starting point for anyone seeking to become more environmentally conscious.

Outside the factors used in that calculation, here are five ways people can begin reducing their carbon footprint:

Drive less: Carpooling to school, taking public transportation to the airport or walking or biking to places that are within a short distance of your home could go far in reducing a person's carbon footprint. Using less transportation altogether, by working remotely via Zoom or other technology, can also help whenever feasible.

Eat locally produced foods: About 13 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are the result of the production and transport of food, according to COTAP.org, an organization aimed at combatting climate change. That especially means cutting down on beef and dairy products, according to the website. Raising cows takes a lot of resources, especially on land that used to be tropical forest such as in Brazil.

Save water: Take shorter showers. Installing a low-flow showerhead can reduce hot water use and save 350 pounds of CO2, according to a Columbia University blog from 2018. Checking toilets for leaks often and turning off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth can also go a long way to reduce water usage if the habits become routine.

Use the recycle bin: Recycling items instead of tossing them in the trash can help reduce energy consumption, according to the King County, Washington, website on climate change. Paper, cardboard, glass bottles and metal containers are among the items that can be recycled, and some cities have organic collection programs that allow food waste to be recycled as well.

Take up gardening: Planting trees in particular can help store carbon, and growing your own vegetables will reduce the amount of food that must be transported, according to the Climate Action Business Association. Composting food scraps, the organization writes, is the “perfect solution to the fertilizer problem,” as it reduces the amount of waste transported to landfills.