Hannah Larson
Staff Writer
Climate change is inevitable as the environment has reached a critical period. People may think that they don’t add to this cycle, however, everyone contributes a large part without realizing. There are several ways to reduce your carbon footprint by being aware of what is used in your day to day life.
According to the New York Times, a carbon footprint is defined as, “…the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from the production, use and end-of-life of a product or service. It includes carbon dioxide — the gas most commonly emitted by humans…”
One important idea is to cut down on meat and dairy products which give out 14.5% of manmade greenhouse gas. Whenever you resort to other meal options, your carbon footprint goes down about eight pounds. This doesn’t mean you have to solely eat a vegetarian diet; any small step has a great impact.
Clothing waste is another problem to overcome. As of right now, the average American person throws away about 80 pounds of clothes every year. Once they end up in landfills, methane develops as the items decompose.
The main reason is because the material is cheaply made which causes people to buy more. Rather than spending your money on poor quality products, purchase clothes that are higher in quality that will last longer.
Transportation is also very important to consider as it greatly adds to your carbon footprint. According to an article by Renee Cho, an average car expels out roughly five tons of C02 each year. That causes a lot of harm to the atmosphere and environment. Instead of driving, consider walking or carpooling to get to your destination. When there is a lot of traffic, a good amount of C02 is emitted into the air.
On the other hand, everyone seems to have cars these days so it might seem impossible not to use your vehicle. There are other ways that can help. Combine your errands when you are out instead of doing more unnecessary driving.
It may seem difficult at first to change your daily routine. Still, it is crucial to be aware of how many resources you use day to day. Everyone plays a role in impacting and helping the environment.
Categories: Features
THE CAROLINIAN 
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