Reducing carbon footprint | Conscious Living blog.

Tess Watson shares her third guest blog, for a more holistic approach to everyday tasks in order to lead a more conscious and sustainable lifestyle.

Following on from previous blogs this fortnight I am sharing with you super easy tips on how to further reduce your carbon footprint.

Hopefully you have already been making conscious decisions to cull the use of plastic (particularly single use plastic) as well as taking advantage of the opportunities to buy in bulk and use your own produce and shopping bags.

Who has been using their newspaper bin liners? 

I had someone tell me they made a gift bag out of newspaper after seeing my first blog, now that’s innovative. 

You can easily alter the design to suit any size bin by increasing or decreasing the size of the square.

I have received messages from people who now have compost bins or are asking themselves ‘what would Tess do?’.

In Australia we consume more per person than many other countries, so much so that if the rest of the world lived like us we would need three planets to provide enough resources. 

This consumption includes food, energy, water and timber. 

We are unnecessarily demanding too much from natural resources and creating a ridiculous amount of waste. 

We are one of the highest ranked polluting countries.

SUSTAINABLE FOOD

Do you consider where your food has come from? Or what resources have gone into producing the food to get it to your table. 

Food mileage is something to be aware of.

Supermarkets had garlic from Spain in stock recently, whereas there are local growers on the Eyre Peninsula that offer it. 

Yes, it may be convenient to grab whilst you are at the shops but with slightly more effort and consideration you could buy food picked fresh that day.

And when you do, you are also benefiting local families directly as well as eliminating the resources required to consume the food.

Choosing to purchase and consume sustainable foods is a step in the right direction to ensure we will have adequate resources in the future.

Now, I am a HUGE supporter of local and Australian businesses so I don’t want anyone to be put out by my next opinion, but if you are serious about reducing your carbon footprint you should chose to eat less meat and dairy.

The University of Oxford has conducted research that proves an individual can reduce their carbon footprint by a massive 73 per cent if they adapt a plant-based diet. 

The research also shows that 60 per cent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions are because of meat and dairy production.

I know many of us in the community depend on this production for their livelihood, I am simply providing some facts on this topic in the hope to preserve our plants future.

Think to yourself how many resources were required to produce this product, how many will be required to dispose of it, is it benefiting me, is it benefiting the earth?

HOME/WORKPLACE ENERGY

It is estimated that the average stand-by power use is 81.8 watts per hour, which is equal to more than $250 per year.

• Turn off and unplug appliances – power boards can make this an easy task for multiple appliances
• Set timers to automatically turn off televisions or stereos when not in use
• Use energy saver screen mode on televisions
• Switch to energy efficient light bulbs
• Select efficient energy rated white-goods
• Don’t unnecessarily use the dryer, utilise the sun or in Port Lincoln’s case… the wind!
• Use cool or cold water in washing machines and dishwashers
• Wait until you have a full load of clothing or dishes
• Convert to clean energy sources such as solar panels
• Turn lights off
• Use a hot water bottle rather than an electric blanket
• Rug up! Add layers before turning up the thermostat
• Contain the heat, eliminate drafts and turn off the heater once the concealed room is warm
• Close curtains before to night chill sets in to retain heat in the building
• Allow the morning sun in (do the opposite in the warmer months)

CONSCIOUS TRAVEL

• Car pool
• Use public transport
• Ride you bike
• Ensure your tyres are pumped tyres and wheels aligned
• Regularly service
• Reduce cruising speed

We are at the half way mark! 

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