3 Easy Ways To Reduce
Your Carbon Footprint @ Home

1) Change your light bulbs.  We’re sure you have heard of this before—and we know it’s tempting to buy the four pack of bulbs for $2—but compact fluorescent bulbs use two thirds less energy and last 10 times longer than the standard incandescent bulbs. The payoff: If Americans replaced just one bulb in their home, it would save enough energy to light 2.5 million homes in one year and prevent an amount of greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of 800,000 cars.

2) Bring your own mug to Starbucks.  You’ll get a 10 cent discount, and it’s one less paper cup to end up in a landfill.  While you’re there, pick up some free bags of spent coffee grounds to use as a “green” fertilizer in your garden. The payoff: The store won’t create more waste when they throw away a cup, and you can start growing carbon-dioxide- eating plants au naturale.

3) Save water.  Run the dishwasher only when it is full, and don’t pre-rinse dishes (a waste of time, water and energy). But the real water drain is in the shower – take shorter showers (and take them together!).  The payoff:  By skipping pre-rinse, you’ll save 200 pound of carbon dioxide from being released and $40 a year.  And by taking shorter showers you’ll conserve 350 pounds of CO2 and keep about $100 in you pocket each year.