Brainstorming ways to minimize your carbon footprint? You've come to the right place. As much as we don't like to admit it, food, water, gas – the world's natural resources – are limited. Ilchi Lee, advocate of a peaceful, sustainable world, urges that, person by person, we can create change. By making an impact, we can reduce our impact.
1. Turn Thermometer Up 2 Degrees in Summer, Down 2 in Winter
Heating and cooling accounts for a large percentage of a household's energy consumption. In fact, these services cost more money than any other system in your home – typically totaling about 48 percent of your utility bill, according to Energy.gov.
So, save money year-round by turning up your thermometer in warm weather. An average thermostat temperature for warmer weather is around 77 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're not at home during the day, you can increase the temperature to reduce cooling costs.
Turn your thermometer down in cooler weather. About 68 degrees Fahrenheit is an average winter temperature, depending on your climate of course. Each degree below the 68 mark reduces 3 to 5 percent more heating energy consumption.
2. Plant a Tree
Trees are carbon dioxide's Kryptonite. Oak, maple, apple – no matter the type of tree, it absorbs tons of carbon dioxide – the gas that's contributing to climate change – during its lifetime.
They also emit oxygen, making your neighborhood a bit fresher place to breathe.
3. Recycle Paper, Glass, Plastic and Anything Else
The importance of recycling cannot be understated. It conserves raw materials, turning used goods into new products. Put another way, by recycling, you are keeping something alive longer.
Instead of throwing away junk mail, recycle it. Rather than tossing empty milk jugs, recycle them. If you're getting rid of glass bottles, recycle them!
4. Don't Waste Water
Scientists agree that in the 21st century water will become the world's most precious limited resource. So, conserve when you can.
Brushing your teeth takes two minutes. During that two minutes, valuable water may be spiraling down the drain. Turn the faucet off after wetting your brush, and turn it back on to clean your brush. That alone could save 4 gallons a minute. Add that up for a family of four and you've saved 200 gallons a week.
5. Install Low-Flow Aerators
Low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators can reduce your home water consumption as much as 50 percent, cutting your energy cost of heating the water by as much as 50 percent. This is a great way to conserve water and save money.
6. Carpool, Walk or Bike
Team up with a roommate or colleague to carpool to work every day. Not only will this save you money on gas, it will produce less emissions. In the last year, roughly 85 million gallons of gas was saved by carpooling, according to Commuter Solutions.
Biking to work is another good alternative. It's another win-win – you get a workout and the environment gets a breathe of fresh air.
With these steps, you can start to optimize your energy efficiency and help preserve the earth's natural resources.