A few changes in your living style can contribute a lot to protecting our planet from environmental and man-made damage. The following are some ways you can make a sustainable change and reduce your carbon footprint in 2023.
Opt renewable sources of electricity
Traditional sources of electricity like fossil fuels release harmful carbon and greenhouse gas emissions during production and usage. Using solar energy allows generating your own green and clean electricity by converting sunlight into renewable energy.
This reliable and low-maintenance source of energy improves air quality because they don’t generate air or noise pollution and other wastes. Installing a solar battery will help you store excess power and use it during power outages, at night, or at any time of day when there is no power.
Using solar system for residential flats will help in reducing dependency on the main electricity grid and make electricity consumption more affordable by reducing electricity bills by almost 90%.
Switch to a vegetarian diet
Reducing meat from your diet completely can decrease food waste and carbon footprint. According to a study report, switching the entire beef intake with chicken for a year can help in reducing the annual carbon footprint by 882lbs of carbon.
Composting
Start a compost for preventing food waste and living sustainably, adding essential nutrients back into the soil for fruit and vegetable nourishment.
Energy-efficient appliances
Energy-efficient appliances last longer compared to traditional gadgets. When it comes to replacing a dishwasher, washing machine, oven, or fridge, new efficiency measures have upgraded the market standards to provide energy-efficient products for a varying range of costs. The energy efficiency is labeled from A-G with A being the highly energy-saving rating.
Cold water
Use cold water for showering and washing clothes as it reduces power consumption and also benefits your skin and maintains clothes’ vibrancy.
Avoid single-use products
Replace single-use products like plastic water bottles, plastic bags, etc. with glass containers and cloth grocery bags that can be reused and washed for later use. Try to use biodegradable household products that use environmentally cautious packing to prevent environmental damage. For example, natural deodorant, bamboo toothbrush, neem hair comb, recycled toilet paper, natural ingredient shampoo, and more.
Waste audit
Conduct a waste audit for a week to determine how much waste you throw weekly. For this, collect your trash daily in the garbage or any specific location. At the end of the week, see what kind of waste you have thrown away and how many single-use items are there in the trash. Based on the finding, brainstorm methods for waste elimination.
Purchase bespoke
When products are made individually, it reduces waste, energy, and shipping miles. For example, mass-produced rugs will use more energy for manufacturing and then remain in the warehouse. Many of these rugs remain unsold and results in landfill.
Unplug devices
Unplug your devices from charging when you are not using them because leaving the charger in the outlet may result in power consumption. Most electronics use energy even when not being used to run any program. By unplugging your devices, you can reduce power consumption and waste.
Double/triple-glazed windows
Double-glazed windows consist of 2 sheets of glass panels with a space between them while triple-glazed windows comprise 3 sheets with 2 gaps. These gaps keep argon gas vacuum sealed and avoid heat loss for being a poor thermal conductor. Upgrading windows also reduce outside sounds moving into your home and enhance security.
Reduce water usage
Some energy is used whenever you turn on the water. Therefore, reduce your water usage by not scraping your devices before putting them into the dishwasher, taking shorter showers, running the dishwasher when it is full, and turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Less water consumption means reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Opt for electronic vehicles (EVs)
Petrol and diesel-fueled vehicles are the major cause of increasing global warming. These vehicles produce huge amounts of carbon dioxide. Electric vehicles provide the most sustainable way because they run using electricity without producing any air pollutants. Moreover, the leading rooftop solar system providers in Delhi NCR are providing solutions for solar EV charging stations to use solar energy for charging vehicles.
Environment-friendly cleaning products
Conventional cleaning products comprise alkylphenol ethoxylates, which are dangerous for wildlife. As an alternative to this, use eco-friendly cleaning products containing natural ingredients or prepare at-home cleaning solutions.
Heat pumps
These pumps obtain heat from the ground, water, or air, and supply it to residential buildings, for home cooling in the summer. Also, they get heat from home inside and then transfer it outdoors. In addition, heat pumps reduce the need for oil tanks and gas pipes. Compared to electric or gas heating, using heat pumps also helps reduce carbon footprints.
Consider second-hand or used clothing
The fashion industry contributes approximately 10% of the carbon emissions of humankind. Thus, buy pre-owned clothes from online garage sales or thrift stores rather than purchasing new attires.
Sustainable tourism
Practicing sustainable tourism involves reducing carbon footprints and supporting the natural environment. It helps in eliminating over-tourism that overcrowds mostly visited tourist destinations that affect the local living style.
If you are planning your next trip, consider some eco-tourism tips like avoiding litter, selecting tour operators who invest in the local communities, picking less tourist-crowded locations, using eco-friendly travel products, using reusable containers, etc.
Upcycle your attires
Upcycling your old or useless clothes that don’t fit you properly is an excellent way to get more use of them. You can reuse them as a part of other projects like furniture, bags, etc.
Solar thermal
These solar systems obtain heat from the sun to deliver space and water heating. Moreover, high-temperature collector solar thermal systems can be used for producing renewable electricity. You can combine these thermal systems with traditional hot water and heating systems for supply diversification and use solar energy at optimal times around the year.
Volunteer
Create a group of people to collect trash from parks or roads to live sustainably. Volunteering at shelters and local nonprofits will assist a lot in enhancing their impact.
Purchase from local producers
Most of the fresh food travels hundreds of miles before they’re purchased. The carbon-loaded value chains result in emissions across production, refrigeration, and transportation. As a solution of it, shop for locally produced items whenever possible. Seasonal and local produce has increased nutritional value because it has invested less time from its source.
Spend time outside daily
Experts recommend spending at least 20 minutes outside your home each day to help reduce stress and anxiety, and get better sleep. The more you get outside, the more you will act environment-friendly.
All of these ways are easy to implement. Indians can’t afford solar energy systems is among 10 surprisingly common solar myths that need to be removed. The cost of solar systems has reduced over the past few years and the government is also providing financial support to installers as tax incentives, subsidies, and more. So, start sustainable living for securing a healthier and pollution-free environment for our coming generations.