How do 'normal people cut their Co2 emissions?

Question

With rising energy and fuel prices how we us normal citizens cut our Co2 emissions. I mean in this modern world, with washing machines, driers, multiple tvs, pc and other appliances in each household. What can logically be done to reduce our effect on the planet and also the holes in our pockets without unduly affecting our lifestyles?

Answer 1

Wash clothes less often. Use a clothes line rather than a drier.  Heat only the lounge in the evening and be socialable with the rest of the family. Have a cards evening without the tv on.  Grow your own veg.

Answer 2

all i can think of is the obvious things

low energy light bulbs

dont leave things on standby

turn off lights

walk to work/college

make sure your house is well insulated

Answer 3

ride a bike to work or walk (even if it's just one day per week).  turn down the thermostat, go for walks and not just watch TV.  No Taco Bell!  Really, your CO2 emissions are not the cause of any climate change but we are supposed to be good stewards of the earth.  Just bing thrifty helps.

Answer 4

I consider myself 'normal'; here's a few ideas I find easy to implement:

You can walk/cycle/use public transport rather than running a motor vehicle.

You can recycle almost all of your domestic waste.

You can avoid "disposable" products.

You can fix things if broken, rather than disgarding them.

You can buy 2nd hand products (especially good for things like furniture).

Be wary of where the raw materials for your products come from.

Don't leave electrical appliances in stand-by mode; turn them off completely.

You can give preference to locally-produced products over imported ones.

Save the rainforests of South East Asia by not consuming palm oil.

There's so much you we can do, and doing it DOES make a difference!

Good luck :)

Answer 5

It is simple; use less enegy by not keeping appliances on unnecessarily, use a smaller car or even better a bicycle or walk, eat natural fresh foods (less refrigeration energy) and foods that require long cooking, e.g. fruits and nuts, etc etc...

Answer 6

Little things include: energy efficient lightbulbs, power strips( plug all your electronics in one room into one and when your not in that room turn off the power strip) You can shorten your showers by 2-3 minutes a day, drive 20 miles less a week. All these are steps to going green and do not affect lifestyle drastic.

Answer 7

Stop driving or at least walk and cycle short distances (50% of all car journeys in the U.K. are under 2 miles). Stop flying.

Turn your heating down and ensure your home is properly insulated. Re cycle wherever possible and re-use items such as plastic carrier bags

Answer 8

Stop eating beans

Answer 9

Here are some of the things I do.  I'm down to a pretty low carbon footprint.  I recycle, I ride the bus to school, I have 100% renewable energy through my power company, I unplug anything that is unneeded, I buy recycled products, I buy organic food, I use rechargeable batteries, I use concentrated laundry detergent. There are so many things you can do. I buy larger containers of foods and drinks, I don't eat a lot of meat (the energy that goes into creating one pound of beef is ridiculous), I use a reusable water bottle, I use canvas bags at the grocery store. I turn down receipts, I pay my bills online, I bring my lunch to school instead of buying something there with a lot of waste. I am trying to do as much as I can, but really haven't sacrificed anything. If you want some more suggestions, let me know. :)

Answer 10

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Answer 11

Normal people realise it's total bollox.The biggest producer of Co2 is the Sea(tough to tax?)All trees and plant's use Co2 for food for twelve hours a day then emit it themselves WHY are they still chopping down vast amounts of trees everyday THE NATURAL FILTER?It's called sheep syndrome say it loud and long enough someone will believe then another.Worked well for Hitler for a while

Answer 12

I have purchased an electric battery powered lawn mower, trimmer, tiller, and chain saw. Also switched to the new neon-based light bulbs (which cost about $1 a year to own and operate as compared to $50 a year for use of an incandescent bulb). When solar gets a little less expensive, which it will when more begin using it, we will install solar panels on the roof. Our next new car will be all or part-electric.

Answer 13

buy the air car..when it comes out, search youtube.com for it.

$12,000

Answer 14

I'm one of those whacky folks who is not "normal."  ~lol~

I live a pretty different lifestyle compaired to most.  We still have the full compliment of appliances though, and I wouldn't be without them.  Sorry, I may be willing to butcher an animal for our meals but I'm not willing to go beat laundry against a flat rock!

Go for the bigger things for your more normal lifestyle.  Don't go on vacations that require airplane trips.

If you have a yard, concider doing away with your lawn.  Moss is gorgeous, and never needs to be mowed.  There are many other ground covers from things that love wet, to things that love dry....and they need never be mowed.  If you choose plants native to your local area, they may never even need to be watered once established.

Run your machines (clothes and dishes) only with full loads.  

Try to cook more from scratch, and buy fewer convience foods.  If you work outside the home, the crockpot is your friend!

If you get newspapers, and magazines, do you actually enjoy and read them?  If not concider canceling them.

If you currently grocery shop several times a week, sit down with your family and make a serrious effort to plan the meals for the entire week...breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Buy all of the items in one trip to the grocery store.

Once you get use to buying a weeks worth of food at a time, you will really enjoy the convience, and less stress/hassel of having a meal plan for an entire week.  

Once you have the entire weeks groceries at a time mastered, expand it to two weeks.  Now you are saving signifigant amounts of gas, and time.  You will also find in the long run, you are spending less.  The less you are at a store, the less chance for you to buy impulse items.

I've cut my own hair since I was 19 years old.  I'm in my 40's now.  I figure I would have had my hair cut at least 138 times in that amount of time.  At a cost of $30 per time (hair cut, gas, tip, ect) I would have spend $4140 thus far.  If you can learn to cut your own hair, or any member of your families, you will save money.

If you have a pet that you have groomed, concider learning how to do it yourself.  The investment in the tools should pay for themselves quickly, plus you are no longer spending gas to shuttle the pet to and fro.

Plant a tree in your yard, if you have one.  Try to plant a bird friendly tree.

Buy some games and have a family night at home once a week, instead of going out for entertainment.

Check out some thrift stores, and see if they might be a place you could shop for items like clothes from time to time.  Thrift stores are not all created equal...some are dank, gross and smelly.  Others are bright, cheerful, clean and have nice items.  Don't let the first one overly infulence you if it's a nasty one...try a different one.  Donate your items you no longer want/need to a thrift store.

Depending on where you live, and how safe it is, get a bike, and go for bike rides, especially if you can do any of your errands on them, or spend time with your family that way.

Take a serrious look at your bills.  Any bill you have means you are not independant, and must continue to work.  How many bills can you reduce, or eliminate altogether.

Going to have a baby?  Buy cloth diappers, instead of using disposable ones.  You will save about $1000 with the first baby by using cloth.  You will save even more money if you have a second child.

Concentrating your time, energy and money on your marriage, children, family and friends, usually pays off in big ways.  

If you are buying certain household items (couches appliances, beds, ect) invest in real quality items.  They cost more, but will last SO much longer.  Stay away from fashion, and trendy.  Buy couches in neutral colors.  You can change the entire look of your room with some different bright pillows, and wall hangings and not be investing in new couches.

Stay away from the convience foods.  The more "convient" it is, the worse for the environment and your pocketbook it is.

Keep on top of the tune-ups for your vehicles.  Good tires, sparkplugs, airfilters, ect, all mean your car is able to perform more efficently.  

Hope some of these ideas help....nothing too whacky or difficult.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 15

apart from the obvious (the above) make sure u buy cars with catalyc converters. use biological washing powder, try use eco friendly stuff, and try not to breathe

just joking

Answer 16

Wear an extra sweater , and turn the thermostat down a bit..

is just 1 silly example..

there are loads.

Answer 17

By succumbing to pressures from illegal governments ( current New World Order) and commiting suicide because of pollution and the outlook it emits.

Answer 18

This Yahoo website has every thing you need to know about living green.

http://green.yahoo.com/living-green/

Answer 19

wash at a lower temp

use a caoncentrated washing liquid and fabric softener (if you have to use it!!!)

only wash whole loads

turn the thermostat down and wear extra clothes and blankets

hang washing outside if possible or on dryers inside

Turn electrical items OFF when not in use

Insulate lofts

Use draft excluders

Only boil enough water for what you need

Buy lined curtains

Shower dont bath (or share bath water)

Watch TV together

Use energy saving lightbulbs as they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes

Just a few little ideas that are not life changing but very easy and they really will reduce bills. Sometimes its a little bit of an extra cost to start but will even out quickly.

I am well into the environment but i am also poor so i try to all these things for both reasons and its really not hard!!!