Editor offers steps to reduce your carbon emissions
Reducing one’s individual impact on the environment is as much about maintaining awareness as it is about reducing, reusing and recycling.
According to an article titled “25+ ways to reduce your carbon footprint,” published on the website for the organization Carbon Offsets to Alleviate Poverty, being aware of the emissions involved in personal travel is an important first
step to reducing a carbon footprint. For instance, travel by plane creates a large amount of pollutants, so decreasing the frequency of travel has a significant impact on pollution. Even driving a car is a pollution-heavy method of travel, which can be mitigated by carpooling, driving a more fuel-efficient car, and by not speeding, as driving quickly is much more damaging for the environment.
Beyond the realm of travel, there are multiple
opportunities for decreasing the environmental impacts of the home. “Reduce What You Can, Offset What You Can’t,” by Carbonfund.org provides a plethora of easy ways to cut emissions, including improving household insulation and only turning on electronic devices when they are in use.
According to Shelly Silvaggi, Science Dept. member, there are a vast number of ways to reduce one’s carbon footprint in the home. More extreme approaches include living in
a multi-family residence, such as an apartment or duplex or installing a smart thermostat.
However, Silvaggi states that less extreme options, such as decreasing meat consumption or utilizing public transit, are impactful as well. Silvaggi states being conscious of energy consumption is especially important in Ohio, as a great deal of the state’s power comes from coal-burning plants, which produce significant amounts of pollution during the generation of electricity.
