Tips to Help Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

I use rainwater to water my plants instead of hose water.

We have a pool which uses up lots of energy, so we run the pool pump during the non-peak times (10am -6pm) in order so save on energy cost and to help cut down on energy usage during the peak times.

The community where I live has a curbside recycling program, however, there is not one available at my office. I started keeping bins available for paper, and once a week I lug it home to my curbside. Hopefully lightening my footprint by burning some extra calories, and helping to improve my carbon footprint as well.

Use websites like swap.com/books to trade books!

As for the plastic grocery bags, alot of the big box stores and grocery stores have a container to recyle them. I reuse mine by putting them inside smaller trash containers and for taking lunch to work.

I reuse those plastic bags that you are not suppose to get from the grocery store. I use them in my garbage can in the kitchen instead of buying plastic garbage bags. Yes they are small, but I LIKE to take my garbage out every night. Who wants yucky garbage in the house. And what good is it to bring your own reusable bags and yet BUY plastic garbage can liners?

I reuse envelopes that come in the mail as scratch paper while I am on the computer or taking telephone notes or even grocery list paper. I also reuse the water I used (cooled)after boiling eggs for my plants.

I do pretty much every tip listed by Shespeaks. I enrolled in programs to load coupons onto my grocery store loyalty cards. No need to use paper at all anymore! This is pretty new, and I love it. Use old t-shirts/worn out towels for rags. It saves trees and money. Don't waste food. 25% of all food purchased in the US is thrown away. Use the leftovers for lunches at work, OR choose to cook things that yield leftovers easily used in other dishes. It will save you money, reduce demands for production and stop food from being dumped in landfills. Buy local if at all possible. Things that don't have to be shipped hundreds of miles are much more eco friendly. Ditch individual water bottles. Get reusable ones.

I use old t-shirts to make reusable grocery bags, old washclothes and socks for dusting rags, and I use cloth napkins and dishtowels instead of paper towels. I've gotten my extended family to save all their cans so that I can cash them at the recycling center. I use the extra money to help pay for my dogs medication.

1. Coffee grounds in the garden - not the trash - it enriches the soil 2. Use and reuse and reuse paper in the printer. You can print a single coupon on 1/3 sheet of paper. Print, trim (neatly), save for next time the remainder of paper. 3 Cold water wash for clothes 4. Egg shells in a jar of water, soak awhile, use to water & fertilize plants. Later put egg shells in garden. 5. Cut open the "bags" that your boxed cereals are in (inside the box), flatten it, wipe the cereal dust off. Save to wrap stuff in - sandwiches, etc. 6. Reuse your bread bags. I shake all the crumbs out and then flatten them. I then roll them into a tight roll to store (like a roll of bags in a box). These are great to reuse. There's more...... sometime we'll all get it right.

I've been using reusable shopping bags for a couple years now; turn off water when brushing teeth; replaced regular light bulbs with the CFLs a few years ago; I recycle newspaper, magazines, cardboard, glass, plastic and aluminum (did you know you can put used aluminum foil in with the recycling? Even the wrapper from a Hershey's Kiss is enough to recycle!)

i use the Huggies plastic wipes containers as planters! I try not to buy them, but sometimes they cost less than the refills in the store. So...I am teaching my son about planting and recycling at the same time. I let him decorate his new planters with stickers, and then we place them on our deck. It helps add character to our family garden.

Instead of throwing out potato chip bags or snack bags (the ones that are shiny on the inside), cut them at the bottom seam and iron them slowly on an old bath towel and watch them shrink and get a really cool texture. Then cut them up into pieces and make a collage. It's a fun way to recycle because you can create a beautiful piece of artwork!

Whenever I wash my curtains, drapes,and valances I don't dry them! I just remove them promptly from the washer and put them back on their rods! Makes the house smell great!

I always bring my own shopping bags to the store and I encourage my friends to do the same! I also setup recycling bins in my condo community area to encourage everyone to recycle and do their part to save the earth.