It’s more important than ever to be conscious of our carbon footprint, but what is a carbon footprint, exactly? Generally speaking, a carbon footprint is defined as the total amount of greenhouse gases — primarily carbon dioxide — produced to, directly and indirectly, support human activities. 

Studies show that in 2020, COVID curbed global carbon emissions early in the pandemic — by nearly 7% — with the United States contributing the most with a nearly 13% drop. Despite this early decline, these same analyses show an uptick in carbon emissions in the second half of 2020, which is predicted to bounce back in 2021. Not only that, with more people working from home than ever, residential electricity consumption is on the rise. With more widespread and consistent energy usage around the clock, this rising energy consumption is causing a major spike in peak usage at peak times. 

All this said, by practicing mindfulness each and every day, we can all do our part to reduce our energy consumption and our carbon footprint to cut down on expensive utility costs, and more importantly, support the health of our local communities and the planet as a whole.

How Can I Reduce My Carbon Footprint?

Today, your friends at West Coast Solar explore four simple ways to instantly reduce your carbon footprint in 2021. Keep reading to learn more, and get in touch with us to get information about our solar services.

Limit What Goes to the Landfill

One of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions is landfill waste. While we can’t completely stop sending trash to landfills until scientists come up with an eco-friendly alternative, we can each do our part to limit how much we’re contributing to these sites. The trouble with landfills is that the slowly decomposing organic rubbish releases landfill gas, a type of greenhouse gas that is, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), between 28 to 36 times more potent than carbon dioxide. This staggering amount accounts for more than 15% of the nation’s methane emissions — yikes!

Simple Ways to Reduce Landfill Waste

So how can we even begin to make a dent in the amount of waste going to landfills? It’s simple, really! All it takes is a change in your mindset and then putting small practices in place that can lead to big changes. 

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
• Don’t throw old, unwanted clothes away; donate them instead.
• Cut down on how much food you waste.
• Plant a garden and start using a composter.
• Buy food in bulk with less packaging to create less waste.
• Don’t toss leftovers; make a second meal out of them.
• Purchase items made from recycled materials.
• Replace harsh cleaning materials with homemade vinegar- and baking soda-based cleaners.
• Purchase rechargeable batteries.

Rethink Your Drive Time

For many of us, this has become more commonplace since the pandemic started, but it’s still worth mentioning. One of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions is the emissions released from our vehicles. While we need these vessels to get us around, we can use them sparingly to help reduce our carbon footprint.

How to Reduce Emissions From Cars

We need our vehicles, and that’s something we can’t change. However, there are ways to reduce pollution from our vehicles, and here’s how:

• Drive less and walk or bike when you can.
• Carpool (safely, of course) with friends, family, and coworkers.
• Use public transportation or ride-sharing services.
• Invest in a fuel-efficient or solar-powered vehicle.
• Avoid idling in traffic.
• Rely on electric scooters for short-distance travel.

Reduce Your Reliance on Plastic

This one is a little trickier, given that plastic seems to be nearly impossible to avoid using in our day-to-day lives. Californians know first-hand the impact that plastic is having on our oceans and beaches with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch circulating just off our shores, but seeing the actual numbers showing just how devastating plastic is to our environment is especially alarming. In fact, the Ocean Conservancy® reports that 8 million metric tons of plastics enter our oceans each year, affecting more than 700 ocean species including seabirds, sea turtles, fish, and whales to name a few. 

As if that’s not horrible enough, plastic production, plastic use, and plastic disposal emit carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. A recent study conducted by the University of California – Santa Barbara takes a closer look at the life cycle of greenhouse gas emissions from all plastics on a global scale — and the results are alarming.

“Plastics have surprisingly carbon-intense life cycles,” said Sangwon Suh, a professor at UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. “The overwhelming majority of plastic resins come from petroleum, which requires extraction and distillation. Then the resins are formed into products and transported to market,” he continues. “All of these processes emit greenhouse gases, either directly or via the energy required to accomplish them. And the carbon footprint of plastics continues even after we’ve disposed of them,” said Suh. “Dumping, incinerating, recycling, and composting (for certain plastics) all release carbon dioxide. All told,” he explains, “the emissions from plastics in 2015 were equivalent to nearly 1.8 billion metric tons of CO2.”   

Ways to Reduce Your Reliance on Plastic

California is already doing its part to limit plastic waste by becoming the first state to impose a legislative ban on single-use plastic bags at large retail stores, which is just the start of what state officials want to do to control the plastic pileup. In addition to using non-plastic bags and replacing them with cloth bags and bags made from recycled materials, there are numerous ways to reduce your reliance on plastic and reduce your carbon footprint. 

Here are some tips to get you started:

• Stop buying bottled water.
• Don’t buy beverages that come in plastic containers.
• Avoid using disposable cups, plates, and bowls.
• Purchase non-plastic food storage containers.
• Stop using plastic straws.
• Avoid using health and beauty products containing microplastics.
• Bring your own reusable straw with you to restaurants, pubs, and bars.
• Stop using single-use plastic cutlery; opt-out of needing plastic utensils when ordering takeout.
• Read the labels on household cleaners to avoid purchasing plastic-containing products.
• Reuse and repurpose plastic containers when you can.   

Install Solar Panels

One way to curb your carbon footprint is by investing in solar. Solar power comes directly from the sun’s powerful rays to generate electricity from a clean, sustainable source to power homes and businesses of all shapes and sizes. By installing solar panels, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint in a variety of ways.

Environmental Benefits of Solar Power

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report that in 2019, the United States alone emitted more than 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide related to energy extraction and production — primarily from fossil fuels. On the other hand, solar power is environmentally friendly to extract and produce. 

Here are some additional ways installing solar panels can help reduce your carbon footprint:

• Solar energy is clean, renewable, and sustainable.
• Solar energy decreases your reliance on harmful fossil fuels.
• Solar energy gives your more energy independence.
• Solar energy is the most abundant energy resource on the planet.
• Solar energy reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
• Solar energy provides all the green energy you need for decades or longer.
• Solar energy reduces the amount of water used when compared to other resources.
• Solar energy reduces air pollution, making our communities healthier places to live and work.
• Solar energy can power a wide array (pun intended) of devices, appliances, equipment, and modes of transportation.

Want to learn more about solar and reducing your carbon footprint? Be sure to check out our recent blog article, What Are the Environmental Benefits of Going Solar?          

Start Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Today

If you are ready to rely on cleaner, greener, more sustainable energy to power your Northern California home or business and curb your carbon footprint, then reach out to West Coast Solar to get started! Our team is one of the most trusted and highly recommended solar companies in California, and we can’t wait to help you take your energy-efficiency to the next level. 

Contact us to schedule a free consultation, which includes a roof assessment, a custom solar design, and a detailed outline of your savings and Return on Investment. We look forward to hearing from you!