Simple Steps to reduce carbon footprint on Earth by adopting LOW CARBON LIFESTYLE.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), a carbon footprint is a measure of the impact your activities have on carbon dioxide (CO2) produced through the burning of fossil fuels and is expressed as a weight of CO2 emissions produced in tones.

If we have to act, it is NOW.

You can contribute to reduce your carbon footprint at individual level.

How?

You need to first measure & keep track of your personal carbon footprint. This blog shall help to educate yourself on Simple Steps to reduce carbon footprint on Earth by adopting LOW CARBON LIFESTYLE.

Lowering of carbon footprint however doesn’t happen overnight. By making small changes in our choices & actions in daily lifestyle can start making a difference.

1.TURN-OFF LIGHTS WHEN NOT IN USE. Keep the thumb rule as; if you are going out of room for more than 15 Minutes, then you may choose to Turn-off lights. This small act can help to save energy, reduce electricity bills, helps to keep room cool & also help to extend the life of lights.

2.Adopt using REUSABLE BAGS made from old bed sheets/shirts/pillow covers. These bags could replace the single-use plastic bags offered at shopping stores. Moreover the reusable bags made from cloth are environment friendly, more durable & has potential to use many times.

3. UN-PLUG seldom used appliances, mobile & laptop chargers, and Wi-Fi points when not in use. Unplugging helps to keep your appliances protected from unexpected power surges as well as helps to retain the life of the appliances.

4. Use CEILING FANS often instead of Air-conditioners. (Note: A.Cs have higher carbon footprint). For Cross ventilation keep windows & doors open whenever required.

5. Use compact LED lights as they use less energy & lasts 10 to13 times longer than ordinary bulbs. Moreover LEDs require much less wattage than CFL or Incandescent bulbs. Refer to SYSKA LED products for wide range of smart lighting solutions.

6. Try RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLING by doing car-pooling, ride-share, bike-share or using public transport to commute. Whenever you visit a new place, travel like a local. Use BICYCLES or simply WALK to short distance travel. 

7. Come OUT & PLAY – Spending time outdoors in local park/garden/playground by playing, walking, reading, interaction with friends is good for health & wellbeing as well as helps to save on wastage of electricity on watching TV, playing videogames, working on laptops or phones.

8. Use REUSABLE CUPS – ceramic/steel to have tea/coffee at workplace instead of single use disposable paper cups. Advantage of reusable cups is that they can be washed & used multiple times. The production as well as disposal of paper cups has adverse environment impacts causing piles of waste & pollution. 

9. Use STAIRCASE instead of elevators. Not only this helps you burn those extra calories to keep you fit but also saves a lot of energy required for elevators to operate for single person. An individual generates about 6.5 kg of carbon emissions per year by taking the elevator.

10. Eat LOCAL & FRESH food. Not only will it help in reducing your carbon footprint by eating LOCAL FOODS (to avoid transportation costs), WHOLE FOODS (to avoid processing costs) and ORGANIC FOODS (to avoid petroleum-based fertilizer usage) but also help you keep healthy.

11. GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES at home - Start a vegetable garden to have fresh produce all year round. You’ll save a lot of fuels driving to the store, and will help the environment by cutting down on food transportation costs and packaging. Chillies, Coriander, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, lemons, variety of micro greens etc. can be easily grown in pots at home.

12. COMPOST your home kitchen waste – Home compost can be made in earthen pots/reused oil containers with alternate layers of kitchen waste (vegetable peels etc.) & soil. By doing your own compost at home, you can avoid meaningless waste contribution in garbage which will end up in landfills.

13. REUSE packaging cartons & other shipping materials by using it to store accessories/stationary items or any other household stuff. Also check the Give Back Box program from Amazon for more details.

14. Adopt using REUSABLE WATERBOTTLES to carry to work or during morning walks. Bottles made with reusable glass or steel can be used. These bottles can be reused multiple times, keeps water cool & help save hundreds of plastic bottles from the landfill each year.

15. EAT LESS MEAT – Meat production is accounted to produce a lot of methane emissions as compared to vegetarian diet. Eating low on the food chain (i.e. with food including vegetables, fruits, grains & beans) is good way to reduce carbon footprint as well as staying healthy.

16. DONATE WORKING ELECTRONICS to the needy people such as old mobile phones/laptops. Also adopt the REPAIR approach for the electronics for using it again if possible, instead of buying new ones immediately. Recycling raw materials from discarded electronics can help reduce landfill & curb water & air pollution.

17. When at home, EAT TOGETHER. Not only you relish your meals together with family but also reduce the unnecessary use of microwave oven & electricity required to warm the food.

18. Choose to use PAPER wisely. Copy & Print on both sides of Paper. Use blank side of used paper for rough work. Request for E-statements instead of printed bill. Use emails instead of paper correspondence wherever possible. Use & Pass on the old Textbooks instead of buying new ones. Remember the paper & pulp industry are one of the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. 

19. DRIVE EFFICIENTLY by accelerating smoothly, driving steadily at speed limit & anticipating your stops. Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration & unnecessary braking which lowers your fuel mileage & increase your carbon footprint.

20. Avoid FAST FASHION as it causes negative environmental impacts during its production, manufacturing & transportation process through water pollution, use of toxic chemicals , increasing amount of textile waste etc. Instead we can try alternatives such as Re-purposing old clothing, choosing local handmade garments or local brands , also don’t buy something unless you truly need it (Buy smart/less).

21. AVOID & REPLACE PLASTIC as it adds to tonnes of greenhouse gases & has tremendous negative impact on our planet. Refuse to take single use plastic straws, plastic bags, coffee cups, plastic food wrapping & plastic packaging whenever possible. Alternatives for plastic such as cloth, stainless steel, wood, ceramics, fibre, starch based materials; bio plastic etc. can be used. (Freedom from Plastic)

22. PLANT A TREE – Trees help to restore the balance of CO2 & O2 in environment & acts as a carbon sink helping in climate change situations. Indigenous Trees such as Neem, Peepal, Mango, Banyan, Ashoka, Kadam, Arjuna etc. could be planted. Initiatives such as “Plant a Sapling on Your Birthday “could be undertaken, also tree saplings could also be used as Gift items.

23. Install LOW-FLOW TAPS & SHOWERHEADS as an initiative to save water in your daily use. Cleaning, Transporting & Heating water requires energy, with more efficient fixtures & appliances like these it can reduce home water use significantly & thereby reducing emissions. Also avoid running water (while brushing/dishwashing) & leakages at home. (Being Water wise)

24. DRY CLOTHS NATURALLY instead of Dryers as they consume lot of energy & also contribute greatly in electricity bills. Clothesline in home passage, balconies, windows can be used to dry cloths with ease. Foldable cloth dryer stands & hangers can also be employed. 

25. Choose to use BLINDS & CURTAINS as simple & efficient way to keep away sun entering through your windows & warming your home, which eventually requires artificial use of ventilation & energy to cater to your requirement. 

26. Choose to USE REGRIDGERATOR WISELY by regularly defrosting the freezer from time to time as it helps to conserve electricity. Also avoid overloading the fridge with unnecessary storage and keep enough space for air circulation. Close the door of fridge neatly as leaving the fridge door open makes the unit's compressor run hotter air and takes longer to cool. Plus, it burns more electricity.

27. Choose to DRIVE ELECTRIC CARS as compared to fuel cars. Not only electric cars emit less greenhouse gases & air pollutants but also help to keep air quality in check in urban areas. The batteries of the electric cars could be reused & recycled. Choose to walk/bike for short distances but if required choose car share with friends. (Drive less Drive Green)

28. Adopt using ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS which are chemical free. Most of the cleaning products based on petroleum chemicals disappear down our drains; some of them end up in our waterways, threatening wildlife & water culture. Herbal products could be chosen for detergents, hand wash, dish cleaners, shampoo, face wash, soaps, toothpaste etc.

29. REDUCE CONSUMERISM & BUY SUSTAINABLY – We tend to buy a lot of stuff & remember each has its own impact on planet Earth, right from its production to disposal. Before you purchase any item, consider first whether you need the item or whether you can borrow it or share with or make it on your own. However if you still choose to buy, than buy used, buy local & has minimal packaging.

30. Embrace MINIMILIST LIFESTYLE by de-cluttering your home & donate unwanted items to needy/charity. Moreover EDUCATE yourself & others about carbon footprint due to your lifestyle choices & take positive actions to curb them for the health of PLANET EARTH.

Therefore, imagine if each individual takes charge to adopt low carbon lifestyle, how magnificently it shall help & heal our planet EARTH. And that shall be the real gift on the occasion of EARTH DAY for everyone sharing this beautiful planet together.

Let us then take care of our beloved Mother Earth, as the AtharvaVeda says;  माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः। (“Earth is my mother and I am her child”).

(For any details contact us)
Website: www.tsapmumbai.in
E-mail: tsap@thakureducation.org
Contact: 022-67308001/02
Whatsapp: +91-9833665446

Ar.Sujit Vasant Jadhav

Landscape Architect & Artist