Tips to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

The topic of the environment and what we as individuals can do to lessen our impact on it can be overwhelming to think about. There are still a lot of unknowns surrounding this issue, and while choosing an eco-friendly heating fuel like Bioheat® fuel to keep your home warm is a great first step, there are still more things we can do to reduce our carbon footprints. Read this blog post to learn about choices you can make in your day-to-day life that will help you lessen your personal impact on the environment.

What Is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is defined as the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from the production, use, and end of life of a product or service. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases trap heat in the atmosphere, which is damaging to the environment. Generally speaking, an individual’s carbon footprint is comprised of their transportation usage, their housing, what food they eat, and their production of waste.

You can calculate your carbon footprint here, providing you know the following information:

The energy usage in your home
Approximately how many miles you travel by car, bus, train, and plane
The composition of your diet
How much shopping you do

Now that you have an idea of how your day-to-day actions impact the environment, we can look at some actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.

Our Top 6 Tips to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Starting Today

While you may be concerned about your impact on the environment, there are some simple yet effective steps you can take right now to shrink your effect on the planet. These include:

1. Drive & Fly Less Often

Walking, biking, carpooling, or taking public transportation such as a bus or train where possible is a great way to get where you need to go while reducing emissions. You can also consider avoiding flying where possible—or if you must fly, you can offset your travel by supporting an environmental cause you care about after calculating your flight’s carbon emissions.

2. Conserve & Recycle Paper

Conserving paper helps to reduce the number of trees that are cut down to make it. An easy way to reduce the amount of paper you use is to print and copy on both sides where possible. You can save single-sided pages for notes and try to only print what you absolutely must.

3. Turn Off Lights & Unplug Devices

It might seem like a small thing, but turning off the lights when natural light is sufficient and when you leave the room can have a big impact. Additionally, you can unplug electronics when not in use to avoid them drawing power while idle.

4. Compost Your Food Scraps & Yard Waste

Composting is an excellent alternative to simply throwing away your food scraps and yard waste. Not only does it reduce the number of materials that would otherwise go to landfills, but it also produces a free high-quality additive that helps you build healthier soil.

5. Perform a Home Energy Audit

Whether you conduct an energy audit of your home or have a professional conduct one for you, you’ll pinpoint problem areas where your energy usage is high. This will help you identify ways to make your home more energy efficient, such as adding insulation or replacing windows. You can also install a programmable thermostat as part of your home energy audit, which allows you to precisely control the temperature inside your home at all times.

6. Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle Plastics

Implementing reusables into your life can help reduce the amount of plastic waste we create, especially when it comes to non-recyclable plastic packaging. Investing in items such as reusable grocery and produce bags, reusable utensil kits, metal water bottles, and glass containers is a great way to reduce the amount of plastic you use on a daily basis.

Bonus Tip: Bioheat® Fuel Can Help You Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Bioheat® fuel is a low carbon fuel that’s better, cleaner, and safer than traditional heating fuels. It works in your existing heating equipment, so there no modifications needed. You can begin reducing your carbon footprint right now when you choose Bioheat® fuel to heat your home. Check out our tips to find a reliable Bioheat® fuel provider in your area!