How to reduce Carbon footprint?-Everything you need to know!

A carbon footprint is a huge problem in the modern world. This means the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to the environment by each and every activity of the individuals. Therefore, this is a universal problem because every person is a share taker of this. So, every person should participate in resolving this too. This problem has been widened due to industrialization and modernization. However, this cannot be completely stopped unless a man goes back to the cave era, therefore, the only step to take is to reduce the size of the carbon footprint you leave on the planet. Hence, this article will be able to understand how to reduce carbon footprint and the areas which we should pay our much attention to reduce it.

How to reduce carbon footprint?

Carbon footprint can be reduced by every activity we do in our life like eating, drinking, etc. therefore we have pay attention in our daily activities to minimize the harm we do to our own environment.

Shown below are the ways how you can minimize the release of CO₂ into the environment.

1. Food

• It is important to reduce your consumption of meat and dairy cause in maintaining such industries there is a lot of gases emitted into the environment. In order to prevent those emissions, you can reduce the consumption of it. You can also join with meatless Monday to enjoy what you do in a really good way.
• Try to maintain a home garden or try using food which is produced locally or organic food. The food you eat mostly result in carbon footprint because of its transportation. Therefore, if you reduce the distance the food travel it will reduce the carbon release in return.
• Try to buy all that you need (monthly use) at once. This will reduce the transport cost and release of carbon by vehicles into the environment.
• Try to reduce the waste of food. The more you have leftovers the more you use the refrigerator which in return release much gas into the surrounding. Use methods like composting to reduce gases released.

2. Fashion and trends in clothing

• Try to avoid following the trends of fashion which will lead to waste many old fashion clothes in huge bulks. These items will be decomposed which release methane into the environment.
• Isn’t it more fashionable to wear vintage or recycled clothes? Fashion is not always buying ongoing fashion but wearing what is environment-friendly.

3. Tips to follow while shopping

• Try to carry your own reusable bags and quit using plastic and polythene bags in shopping.
• Purchase a laptop rather than buying a desktop as laptops consume less electricity and the battery period is high.
• Try to buy equipment with star logo in them which is a sign of using energy more efficiently. Look on it when buying bulbs and other electric appliances.

4. Housing

• Try to use less electricity at home.
• Switch off the lights as possible and when not at home.
• Try to use solar power and change the electric appliances which consume more electricity.
• Avoid using air conditioner and heaters and train your body change with the climatic changes. Wear warm and heavy clothes on cool seasons and try to tolerate your body with warmer temperatures. This might not be the best method; if you think so, try using your air conditioner and heater very less which will even minimize the effect. This will not only reduce the carbon emission this will also help to reduce your daily expenses, on the other hand, but it will also protect the consumption of electricity.
• Use water effectively. Go around the house and check for leakages. Try fixing them out and avoid water waste.
• Install low flow showers, low flushers, etc. to minimize the waste of water.
• Moreover, purification of water emits a lot of gases into the environment, therefore, try not to waste the purified water.

5. Transport

• In most cases, carbon is released to the environment by vehicles. So, its time to park your vehicle into the garage and take your bicycle to work.
• Try to take alternative methods like walking, riding a bicycle.
• Try to use public transport rather than using your private vehicle. This will reduce the carbon emission and also it will reduce the traffic on the road. Moreover, stay out from traffic in order to stop the carbon emission that comes out from your vehicle engine.
• Driving a vehicle with low carbon emission. The best option is to use a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle which is the best solution for the carbon footprint.
• Try to drive slow at all possible times.
• Try to take fewer air travels.

How to reduce carbon footprint at school?

Always inform the public about carbon footprint!

You can make the public informed by the student about this carbon footprint. Most of the parents might not know about this problem in the world. Therefore, students can play an important role in making their parents understand the current problem and they can join their parents to reduce the carbon footprint they leave at their house. Once they informed them, if one person takes a step to do it, another who sees it will do it for sure. So, it is important to keep the first step.

Enhancement of recycling

In the school environment, you will get a whole lot of waste materials so it is important to use composting methods or recycle the possible items. The compost can be used in the school garden or sell it by packaging it to help the school’s development fund. You can use recyclable bins to collect items separately and it is important to reduce polythene and plastic items.

The school canteen

This is the best place for any student. Just as that what is sold in it is also important. It is better to provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables from the school garden and try to avoid fast food that comes all the way from foreign countries which will reduce the carbon emits from all the transportation.

Organic foods are great for reducing carbon footprint!

Try to maintain a school garden to provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables, and provide them with organic food. The more you cultivate such fruits and vegetables, it will reduce the carbon footprint as well as it will be a great opportunity for all the students to eat healthily and live healthily.

Use solar power as much as possible!

Use solar power for electricity which is a great way to avoid the use of power, if its unable to do, the best solution to is to use the electricity in a more efficient way. The more you consume electricity, the more the world will be protected. Try to make the school eco-friendlier.

How to reduce carbon footprint at work?

1. Try to use LED lightings which will also reduce electricity waste. In the work area, the most important thing is electricity and there will be a huge electricity waste in the work area. Therefore, it is important to control the electricity in such an area. Using solar energy is also a solution for this.
2. Always remember to switch off all the possible lights in the work area.
3. Try to use laptops rather than desktops which consume less electricity and higher batter capability.
4. Recycle all the waste materials possible and compose the waste materials.
5. Try to recycle all metals possible. Install a metal recycler in your workplace and start recycling all cans and other metals in your workplace. Try to reuse recycled materials.
6. Try to cultivate a staff garden to get fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables. This will reduce the carbon footprint from transportation.
7. Try to switch for rechargeable batteries.
8. The company vehicles also affect the carbon footprint. Try to use electrical or hybrid vehicles for work. Hence use eco-friendly vehicles.
9. Try to use ceiling fans rather than air conditioners to reduce electricity waste and also the release of carbon into the environment.

Try to use sustainable furniture for the office which will not harm the environment.

How to reduce CO₂ at industry?

Industries are the main places that release carbon dioxide. The harmful gases are emitted in a larger amount by such industries.

The following are the measures that can be taken by the industries in order to reduce the co₂ emission:

1. Examine the energy use

Try to understand the areas which consume more energy. Do a small research on your own company to reduce the carbon released. Try to reduce the energy use by the industry.

Hence try to cut off unnecessary energy consumptions and use the energy more efficiently and effectively.

2. Continue with green energy

Find the best renewable energy source and start using that. Try using solar and wind energy with the industry. If all the businesses start using such energy, it will be more famous and everyone will start to use it. Hence if one industry keeps the first step to use such energy it will spread among others.

3. Reduce the amount of packaging using decomposing materials.

Use recyclable packaging when possible and reduce the amount of waste.

Ways to reduce carbon emissions globally

1. It is important to inform people globally about the risk of the carbon footprint. It is necessary to show that every individual is playing their part and leaving a carbon footprint on the planet.
2. Use less electricity and switch off all the possible lights. If we can consume electricity globally this will definitely help in reducing the carbon footprint that we keep on our planet.
3. Recycle and reuse the products you use. Less use of polythene and the use of composting materials as shopping bags can be a great measure to be followed globally.
4. People can unite globally in informing one another to reduce the size of the footprint that is kept on our earth.
5. Reduce the use of air conditioners and heaters.
6. Plant trees as possible and avoid cutting down trees. Moreover, raise your voice against deforestation and take necessary actions for the ones who do them globally.
7. Ask any utility company to audit the houses to understand the areas of your house which consumes more energy and try to grab your report card soon.
8. Make others know about this risk and inspire them to conserve electricity and reduce the emit of CO₂.
9. Use CFL or LED lights. Each CFL bulb you replaced can save around 30% of energy.
10. If each one of us can say “No” to all energy-consuming products and start using eco-friendly stuff, this is not a difficult task to achieve. Let us unite globally to protect our mother earth!

The reduction of carbon footprint by country

Even by country, wise people should take necessary action in order to control the carbon footprint. Some countries have charged a carbon tax for vehicles with higher carbon emissions. As an example, Sri Lanka introduced a carbon tax for all the vehicles relevant to their engine capacity. Moreover, in an under developing country like Sri Lanka this will be a difficult situation for the civilians. Therefore, the government should take necessary steps to reduce the carbon footprint rather than taxing the people.

Hence by considering all the facts above its clear that we have to play our part to reduce the footprint of carbon, we place on our beautiful planet. This is not hard, but all we need is unity and intention to do that. So every government, every nation, every country should unite together to reduce the carbon emitted by the activities they do daily on their routine. If everyone takes this issue seriously and if they play their part genuinely this goal can be achieved easily. Conclusively, the above article gives a detail report on how to reduce the carbon footprint. Go, check whether your foot carries carbon. Pay attention to the foot you keep on this planet. If it destroys our planet is it happy to walk around? So, start changing yourself! Take back the foot you kept! Let us reduce the size of our carbon footprint!