Reaching Sustainability - Quick Points

How to be more sustainable to the environment through your conscious efforts - Here are some key points to consider :-

1) Switch to a renewable energy option through your utility or a certified renewable energy provider .

2) Calculate your carbon footprint and buy carbon offsets from a certified provider (you can always reduce payments later as you make other changes).

3) Minimize driving by setting concrete reduction goals and walking, biking, carpooling and using public transit as much as possible. Set a goal of walking or biking anywhere within 2 miles of your home.

4) Take the time to research the energy efficiency of large purchases as these offer the biggest opportunities to reduce your ongoing impact:

- home (size, proximity to work/stores (check the walk score) and energy efficiency)

-equipment and appliances (energy star)

-autos (buy used, electric/hybrid, lowest emissions or choose a car-free lifestyle).

5) Minimize purchases of new products, especially resource-intensive, heavy or heavily-packaged products.

6) Embrace a minimalist lifestyle. Declutter your home and donate unneeded items to charity. Buy, borrow or rent used clothing, electronics, house decorations and furniture, cars and other products whenever possible.

7)Reduce energy use. Quick steps:

-Focus mainly on buying efficient space heating/cooling and water heating

-Seal your heating and cooling ducts

-Keep up on regular equipment maintenance

-Add insulation and weatherstripping - especially for doors, windows, attic and attic door

-Buy energy efficient office equipment

-Get an energy audit

-Take the zero-volt challenge to quickly and easily reduce your electric bill

-Switch to LED lightbulbsEnergy Useage Breakdown in Home

-Minimize use of fireplaces or wood stoves

-Unplug unused electronics to minimize standby power consumption

-Wash clothes in cold water and hang them to dry

-Check lights, appliances, and curtains every morning and night and anytime you leave home

-Install a programmable thermostat and don't set it too high or low.

8) Buy locally sourced, organic, plant-based, unprocessed foods from local farmers (Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)), farmers markets, green restaurants and health food stores. Minimize food waste by planning out meals ahead of time and freezing as much as possible.

9) Reduce water use (buy low flow shower and faucet heads, water efficient toilets/washing machines/dishwashers, check for leaks, buy native drought-tolerant plants, etc.).

10) Support organizations that educate, protect and empower girls and women (and stabilize our population) such as Camfed.org, Girls Not Brides, Tostan, and Population Services International.

11) Recycle as much as possible, even when travelling, and buy products with recycle-able/minimal packaging. Search online for ways to recycle hard-to-recycle items in your local community.

12) Compost your food waste.

13) Fly less and, when you do fly, purchase carbon offsets (select "Individual" then click on the airplane icon to view the airplane carbon calculator). Here's information on offset programs for all the airlines.

14) Consider installing solar panels on your home.

15) Choose low energy-intensive activities (i.e., hiking vs. sky diving, kayaking vs. powerboats, electric vs. gasoline-powered yard equipment).

16) Choose green hotels and encourage hotels you visit to green their practices.

17)Support climate action organizations. Research the companies you buy from (especially ongoing purchases). If they aren't reducing greenhouse gases themselves and supporting action on climate change, switch to a company that is.

18) Vote like your future depends on it - because it does! Always vote in every election for the candidate who is most likely to support climate-friendly policies. Ask your elected officials to support a carbon fee and dividend policy to provide incentives for companies and individuals to reduce carbon emissions.

19) Learn more about climate change and share what you learn with others (PowerPoint Recent Findings on Climate Change and Climate Change: What Is It, Proof It's Happening and What You Can Do About It).

20) Encourage and support greenhouse-reducing practices in your community:

-City/town (best practices: California and Minnesota in the USA and in Europe)

-Business

-Neighborhood (join with neighbors to walk through the excellent Resilient Neighborhoods program)

-Hold a junk mail reduction party with your neighbors, friends and family