Everyone can take small but important steps to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Below are some ideas which everyone can do at home or at work. Please join us and do your part!
Buy fresh and local produce. In North America, fruits and vegetables travel on average 1,500 miles before reaching your plate! Buying local products reduces the long distances food has to travel and ensures the preservation of flavor and nutrients.
Plant a tree. An average tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide throughout its lifetime.
Be considerate while cooking. An electric oven produces about 2.7lbs of carbon dioxide for each hour of use. A toaster oven generates about 1.3lbs of carbon dioxide per 50 minutes of use, and a microwave produces .5lbs for 15 minutes of use.s.
Switch to energy efficient lightbulbs, such as compact fluorescent, halogens, or LEDs. They use less energy and last longer, which means great savings for you and less carbon dioxide emissions.
Switch to "green energy." Switch to renewable sources of electricity that reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Contact your electricity provider to learn about "green energy" options available for you.
Check to see how much energy and water your appliances utilize. When buying an appliance, make sure to choose one that is Grade A, which indicates the most energy efficient class.
Defrost your freezer before the frost reaches a thickness of 3mm. By doing this you could reach savings of up to 30%. Adjust the thermostat to maintain a temperature of 6ºC in the refrigerator compartment and a temperature of -18ºC in the freezer compartment.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and/or while lathering up in the shower. A running tap can waste over six liters per minute.
Use less hot water. Washing your laundry in cold or lukewarm water instead of hot water could help you reduce carbon dioxide emissions of about 500lbs per year.
Adjust your thermostat. Lowering your thermostat 2 degrees in the winter and increasing it 2 degrees in the summer could help reduce about 2,000lbs of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
Write a letter to one of your local, state, or federal representatives. Tell your leaders that climate change is important to you and that we must have government action to reduce emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change.
Turn off your monitor during lunch and after work. Use electronic devices that are energy efficient. You can also program your monitor to turn off or go into ‘sleep’ mode when not in use.
Turn off the lights when leaving the office. Avoid turning on lights you do not need. Take advantage of zone lighting (turns lights on and off by zone).
