what are ways to reduce your ecological footprint

11 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Ecological Footprint

1. Get Rid of Single-Use Plastic. Most plastic is non-compostable and non-biodegradable. ...
2. Consider Renewable Energy. Renewable energy doesn’t emit greenhouse gases into the air (for the most part) and they have a much smaller carbon and ecological footprint than fossil fuel ...
3. Conserve Energy. ...
4. Eat Less Meat, and More Plant-Based Foods. ...

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Full Answer

How can we reduce our environmental footprint?

Apr 27, 2017 · Eat Less Meat. The meat industry is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, along with its other issues such as animal welfare, water-use, and land degradation. Reduce your ecological footprint by enjoying vegetarian-friendly meal days and supporting local meat sources. Reduce your Waste.

How can companies reduce their environmental footprint?

Jul 04, 2019 · By reducing your meat consumption, you can drastically reduce your ecological footprint and your environmental impact. This doesn’t mean that you have to go full vegan, but by even reducing your meat consumption by a little, you can achieve a lot. Plant-based foods have a lower ecological footprint than meats

How does everyday plastics reduce our environmental footprint?

Dec 27, 2018 · Every day that you forgo meat and dairy, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 8 pounds—that’s 2,920 pounds a year. You can start by joining Meatless Mondays. 2. Choose organic and local foods that are in season. Transporting food from far away, whether by truck, ship, rail or plane, uses fossil fuels for fuel and for cooling to keep foods in transit from spoiling.

How to reduce your environmental footprint this Earth Day?

Nov 09, 2020 · Growing produce decreases your ecological footprint by eliminating the need for extra packaging, transportation, and refrigeration. You can even use your garden to compost food waste and other compostable goods. 13. Eat less meat and dairy products. Eat more plant-based meals to maintain good health, save animal lives, and protect the environment.

What is ecological footprint?

Your ecological footprint is the impact of your lifestyle choices or activities measured in terms of the land required to sustain your use of natural resources. If everyone on Earth lived like the average American, we would need 4 Earths worth of land to sustain humanity ( BBC ). This is very telling of the changes that need to be made in ...

What to do if you must drive?

However, if you must drive, try and be a little strategic in how you do so . For example, if you are driving to and from work, plan all your other errands around that. If the grocery store is on the way home, stop on the way to get groceries instead of driving back later. Another great idea is to try carpooling.

Is plastic non-compostable?

Get Rid of Single-Use Plastic. Most plastic is non-compostable and non-biodegradable. That means every plastic item in existence will exist almost indefinitely on Earth. This includes plastic items like bags, bottles, utensils, straws, and other items.

Is meat a higher ecological footprint than vegetables?

The ecological footprint of meat products is, in general, exponentially higher than that of vegetables and other plant-based foods. According to OvershootDay.org, a nutritionally balanced, vegetarian diet has an ecological footprint that is 2.5 times lower than a diet composed mostly of animal-based proteins! ...

How can we reduce our ecological footprint?

You can reduce your footprint by supporting local, transparent companies and farms. The food at local markets is fresher, there will be less packaging and you know where it comes from.

How to reduce food packaging?

Not only will you drastically reduce waste but you will also be forced to eat much healthier. Bring a reusable bag and fill it up or place it directly in your cart. If you have to use a store bag, try to fit as many products as possible.

How much CO2 does a tree absorb?

It costs almost nothing, it’s therapeutical and requires no skills. A young tree absorbs roughly 13 pounds of CO2 per year and a mature tree can absorb 48 pounds. After 40 years, a tree will have sequestered 1 ton of carbon that would have otherwise contributed to global warming. If you do not want to get your hands dirty there are a lot of organizations that you can donate and will plant a tree for you.

How to avoid buying unnecessary items?

Last but not least, opt for brands that support fair trade whenever possible and use environmentally friendly materials. 4. Reduce Meat and Plan Your Diet.

How does meat affect the environment?

Reducing your meat intake will help you reduce your ecological footprint since the meat industry is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, along with its other issues such as animal welfare, water-use, and land degradation.

How to transport food from far away?

2. Choose organic and local foods that are in season. Transporting food from far away, whether by truck, ship, rail or plane, uses fossil fuels for fuel and for cooling to keep foods in transit from spoiling. 3. Buy foodstuffs in bulk when possible using your own reusable container.

How to clean clothes with enzymes?

8. Wash your clothing in cold water. The enzymes in cold water detergent are designed to clean better in cold water. Doing two loads of laundry weekly in cold water instead of hot or warm water can save up to 500 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.

Why is transportation the main source of CO2?

Because electricity increasingly comes from natural gas and renewable energy, transportation became the major source of U.S. CO2 emissions in 2017. An average car produces about five tons of CO2 each year (although this varies according to the type of car, its fuel efficiency and how it’s driven).

Does Trump roll back environmental policies?

In the face of the recent National Climate Assessment report on the threats of climate change, the Trump administration continues to try to roll back environmental policies. Individuals, however, can make a difference by reducing their personal greenhouse gas emissions.

1. Say Goodbye to Single-Use Plastic

Reducing plastic use is the most effective way of avoiding waste to lessen our ecological footprint. Throwaway culture has been an enormous problem for Earth, and we produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. It is extremely easy to remove single-use plastics from your life.

2. Use Cleaner Transportation

Portland is already ahead of the game since we’ve been named #1 bike-friendly city by Bicycling magazine, and we have “platinum” bike-friendly streets. However, why not up the ante a little bit! If you need a car, make it a smaller car with a small engine that is usually more efficient.

3. Shop Local

Shopping locally can significantly reduce your eco-footprint. Using shopping and delivery services like Lowkel is a great start. We are adamant about shopping local (hence the name!), so you can purchase food that doesn’t travel large distances to get to your fridge.

4. Switch To Renewable Energy

According to the EPA, the energy sector is the largest source of greenhouse emissions in the U.S. If you have the living situation and budget to switch to solar, we recommend looking into solar panel installations. Although it might be more of a commitment, it can increase the value of your property.

5. Reduce Your Water Use

More water is used in our yards than any other category for the average household. You can find ways to incorporate water-saving techniques around your home with rain barrels, washing clothes only when you have a full load, and stopping unnecessary water use.

Use Cleaner Transportation

Don’t drive when there is an alternative! Walk, bike, or take public transport whenever possible. If you don’t own and drive a car on average you can reduce your total ecological footprint by as much as 20 per cent. Using it less will reduce your footprint, helps to avoid traffic jam and keeps your citys air cleaner.

Add Energy-Saving Features to Your Home

Install energy-saving lamps in your home – but be sure to dispose of old bulbs safely.

Cultivate Energy-Saving Habits

Unplug your electronics when not in use. To make it easier, use a power strip. Even when turned off, items like your television, computer, and cellphone charger still sip power.

Reduce your Foods and Goods Footprint

Shop at your local farmer’s market. Look for local, in-season foods that haven’t travelled long distances to reach you.

Try Out Easy Ways to Save Water

Take shorter, less frequent showers – this saves water and the energy necessary to heat it.

Purchase carbon offsets

Saving is advance is always better than paying afterwards, but for the carbon emissions you can’t eliminate, sometimes you have the option to purchase carbon offsets. Individuals, companies, or governments purchase carbon offsets to mitigate their own greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, electricity use, and other sources.

1. Say no to plastic bags

I made this reusable grocery bag out of a pillow case and it was so easy!

2. Say no to plastic bottles

Bring a reusable bottle with you wherever you go. Better yet buy a good quality plastic-free reusable bottle. Something made of glass or stainless steel is way better than something plastic. It will save the environment and last longer as well. For a cheap option just you can use a mason jar.

3. Wool dryer balls

These things are the best. They help you to reduce the amount of energy used when doing laundry. Just throw them into the dryer along with your clean, wet clothes. They bounce around separating the clothes thereby drying them more quickly. They cut dryer time in half saving you time, money and the environment.

4. Take shorter showers

This will help you reduce water waste saving you time, money and the environment. Did you know you don’t need to wash your hair everyday? In fact it’s bad for your hair. Hair washing is usually what takes the most time in the shower so next time just tie up your hair and only wash your body. Wash your hair every other day.

5. Reduce your red meat intake

Do some research. The red meat industry is one of the worst things we are doing to the Earth. If you don’t want to stop eating it altogether just buy local and grass fed red meats. The best thing to do is to just eat a vegetarian or vegan diet but don’t freak out! Simply embracing a Meatless Monday can help a lot too. Every bit helps!

6. You can even say no to plastic produce bags!

Buy some reusable ones (preferably made of cotton) to continue cutting out plastic! You can buy reusable cotton produce bags online or at health food stores.

7. Reduce food packaging

Try opting for whole foods from the bulk section. Bring a jar and fill it up. Lots of places are starting to have reusable container programs. You can also use your reusable produce bags. Not only will you drastically reduce waste but you will also be forced to eat much healthier.