How you can Take Ownership for Your Contribution to Climate Change

Everyone plays a part in contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases in one way or another. As a result of these actions, these gases have led to far-ranging health and environmental effects. They have contributed to the emergence of deadly respiratory diseases caused by air pollution and smog and led to global warming, which has led to extreme weather and food supply disruptions.

Ralph Thurman, a healthcare practitioner and a champion of the use of renewable energy to reduce the adverse effects of the greenhouse gas effect, advises that everyone has to play their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the earth's surface. Therefore, each person needs to offset carbon monoxide emissions practically and immediately to take ownership of their contribution to climatic change using the following ways.

Reduce Carbon Emissions from Driving

Drive Low Carbon Cars

Every vehicle has its own estimation of miles per gallon rating. Therefore, high mileage will not mean in any way there will be low carbon monoxide emissions. You can use an electric car because it does not emit carbon if it is correctly charged with clean electricity.

Alternative Means to Driving

If possible, a habit to walk or ride a bike in order to avoid carbon emissions completely. Public transportation and carpooling drastically reduce carbon emissions as they spread them out over many riders.

Driving Style

It is advisable to drive at the required speed. Unnecessary acceleration and speeding can reduce mileage by up to 33%. But this will waste your money and gas and eventually increase your carbon emissions.

Avoid Traffic

Traffic at times can be unavoidable. Being stuck in traffic will not only waste your vehicle's gas but create unnecessary carbon. Therefore, it would be best to start using traffic websites and apps to avoid areas with heavy traffic and go a different way or wait until the traffic has been reduced to begin your journey.

Reduce Carbon Emissions at your Home

Seal and Insulate your Home

You can reduce air leaks and drafts with insulation, weather stripping, and caulk. Many states have programs and incentives for the area residents to facilitate this. The best example is the energy upgrade in California.

Appliances

Before you purchase any appliance, consider making energy efficiency your primary consideration when choosing an air conditioning unit, dishwasher, new furnace, refrigerator, and more. Choose products that bear the energy star label because they are recognized for their superior energy efficiency.

Lighting

Whenever you are at home, switch off the lights you are not using and leave the room. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving ones

Thermostat

Set your thermostat moderately. Do not set them too high or low. Additionally, you can install a programmable model that can turn off the air or heat conditioning whenever you are not home.

Solar

Install solar panels in your home. This will reduce your electricity bills or earn money by selling electricity back to the grid.

Reduce your Carbon Discharges from Food

Consume Organic and Locally Produced Food 

It has been estimated that transportation and production of food cause about 13% of the U.S greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation of food from farms to the market needs petroleum-based fuels, and many farm fertilizers are fossil fuel-based.

Reduce dairy and beef consumption

Raising cows requires so many resources; it is terrible to promote animal products in Brazil, where farming has led to deforestation in grazing cows. Deforestation contributes a lot to carbon emissions and climatic change.

Support Clean Energy Sources

Whenever you can, become an advocate of clean alternatives to fossil fuels such as solar, geothermal, wind, and appropriately designed biomass energy projects and hydroelectric.