5 Ways to Lower Your Home’s Carbon Footprint

Sustainable Living Can be Achieved by Implementing Small Measures

© 2014 by Marlena Stoddard; all rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without written permission.

This article was updated on 01/18/19. Happy National Winnie the Pooh Day!

We all know that reducing our carbon footprint is good for the environment. It helps clear the air of pollution emissions and the land of other waste materials.

There are plenty of renovation projects that will drastically reduce your home’s carbon footprint; installing solar or wind power generators, purchasing Energy Star appliances, putting in low-flow toilets, replacing windows, upgrading to geo-thermal climate control.

While you’re planning and saving for those large projects, here are some quick and easy ones.

1. Eliminate Drafts

   
   Check around your windows and doors. Remove and replace worn or damaged calking and weather stripping. Don’t forget attic accesses, door sweeps and basement windows—places that we don’t always see or think about.
   
   How often should you do this check and repair task? It’s a good idea to do it in both the fall and spring, that way you will be actively preparing for extreme weather without having to work in it.
   
   

2. Improve HVAC Efficiency

   
   Install a programmable thermostat to help cut fuel consumption when you’re not home. Furnace and AC maintenance helps those systems work more efficiently, so schedule a checkup with a company that specializes in that type of work to make sure yours is operating smoothly. While you are at it, install a condenser coil mister. This will let your AC work more efficiently, lowering your electric bill and saving wear and tear on your system.
   
   You really don’t have to pay a service person to do all the the work involved in the maintenance your HVAC components. For example, cleaning your outdoor condenser coils and cleaning your evaporator coil drip pan are certainly DIY tasks.
   
   Finally, you might want to consider upgrading to a 7-day programmable thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat - 2nd Generation T200577 is one of the most popular ones on the market because it saves so much money.
   
   

3. Upgrading Light Bulbs

   
   Compact florescent and LED bulbs save a lot of energy without necessarily having to change out any fixtures. Building supply stores like Home Depot offer a large range bulbs to upgrade everything from table lamps to decorative fixtures. If you do decide to change fixtures, keep in mind whether you feel confidant to make electrical repairs or upgrades or not.
   
   A bonus is that these bulbs last longer, so you won’t have to replace them as often. That’s also fewer to throw away or messing with a ladder if you have a fan/light on a cathedral ceiling. Don’t be deceived by the lifetime claimed on the package though; it is often highly inflated, especially with the cheaper Chinese bulbs.
   
   Consumer Reports tests them every so often. They recommend limiting yourself to CFLs that pass Energy Star ratings. The poorly made units often do not spend the money to pass the Energy Star rating because cheaply made units have more problems passing those tests. But that being said, no third party really comprehensively tests the claims on imported brands on a regular basis.
   
   

4. Turn off Electronics You’re not Using

   
   Did you know that even when you turn some televisions off they still draw a trickle of current? The same applies to the DC chargers for laptops and other gadgets. Automatic power strips shut off power to things that are turned off or in standby mode.
   
   They can be purchased at electronics stores like Best Buy and leave you free to think about other things than whether or not you unplugged your cell phone charger.
   
   

5. Shower with Less Water

   
   Low flow shower heads are easy to find and easy to install. Some even come with a trickle flow feature that lets you soap up with the water nearly off while keeping your chosen water temperature, saving even more water, not to mention the energy used to heat it.
   
   If you find that the flow is too low, you can usually open up the head and remove the restrictor. Speaking of water usage, try washing your clothes in cold water. Uncertain? There is now laundry soap that is specially formulated for cold water. It is what we do in our home and the results are excellent.

These five things may look like small home improvements, but they can have a lasting impact on our environment and your monthly power budget. They’re fast and simple to do. Best of all, once they’re done they’ll continue to help you reduce your home’s carbon footprint without constant monitoring.

If these tips helped you save money (and feel better about your planet) I would consider it a favor if you would pass the page on to your friends and co-workers. We’re all in this together. And feel free to leave a comment below if you have more tips.

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