Hobbies And Interests
Travel
Travel constitutes a large portion of greenhouse gas emission, by burning fossil fuels. Regularly flying and driving can increase your carbon footprint quickly. It's even worse when you are driving a large gas-powered SUV instead of a hybrid vehicle. When possible, walk, bike or take public transportation to lessen your adverse environmental effects.
Eating
The food you eat has a large impact on your carbon footprint. Fossil fuels are used on farms, to transport foods and in the production and packaging of packaged goods. When possible, eat food grown locally to reduce the amount of fossil fuels it takes to transport the food across the country. Try to eat vegetarian meals as much as possible, because meat production has an extremely large impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Also make it a practice to drink tap water. Fossil fuels are used to create plastic bottles and transport the water, when it is just as easy to almost always get the same quality water from your tap.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Reducing, reusing and recycling can help diminish your carbon footprint by eliminating the need to produce more goods. Recycling uses less fossil fuels than producing new items from scratch. Reduce the amount of waste you produce by removing unnecessary items from your lifestyle, such as paper towels and regularly purchasing new clothes. Reuse items as much as possible instead of throwing them in the trash or purchasing new items. For example, reuse plastic containers or jars as food storage containers instead of using disposable to-go containers or plastic baggies.
Household Activities
Heating and cooling a home uses a lot of fossil fuels, which create greenhouse gas emissions. Turn the heat down and put on an extra layer of clothing. Instead of turning on the air conditioning, open the windows to get some fresh air. Turn down the heat and air conditioning at night and when you are not home.