7 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

What more could you do to reduce your carbon footprint? We’d say start with your home. Studies suggest that almost 1/3 of carbon emissions originate from the household. Here are 7 easy steps to reduce emissions.

1. Turn off appliances when not using them
   
2. Shop with a reusable/cloth bag
   
3. Lower the brightness of the computer screen
4. Telecommute and Teleconference
   
   You don’t have to really fight your way through traffic or fly to a business meeting in another city to talk to your colleagues. Also, one good reason to ask your boss if you can ‘Work at Home’.
    
5. Buy Local Produce
   You would be amazed to know how far an item of food has travelled before it reaches your dinner table. A bowl of fortified cornflakes and tinned fruit juice may look simple, but is not so. Instead encourage local produce and small farmer groups for fresh veggies.
    
6. Pay attention to packaging
   When you are out shopping, try to go to stores that keep packaging to minimum. For example, choose to buy loose tomatoes rather than boxed or plastic wrapped tomatoes.
7. Bottled Water
   
   Bottled water has a huge carbon footprint because of manufacture and transport. Most of the plastic water bottles in India especially are not recycled, making the footprint even larger. A reusable water bottle is a good alternate.

Editor's Note: Project GreenHands encourages you to plant trees everyday. For a nominal donation, we will help you take the first step in reducing your carbon footprint by planting a tree. Sign up here & see your trees grow!