{"id":23452,"date":"2025-12-15T16:07:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T21:30:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:30:05","slug":"how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Easy Ways You Can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint &#038; Impact on the Planet"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.chariot-article {\n  max-width: 800px;\n  margin: 0 auto;\n  padding: 40px;\n  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, sans-serif;\n  font-size: 18px;\n  line-height: 1.8;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h1 {\n  font-size: 2.5em;\n  font-weight: 700;\n  line-height: 1.2;\n  margin: 0 0 30px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article h2 {\n  font-size: 1.8em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.3;\n  margin: 50px 0 20px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n  border-bottom: 2px solid #f7931e;\n  padding-bottom: 10px;\n}\n.chariot-article h3 {\n  font-size: 1.4em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.4;\n  margin: 40px 0 15px 0;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h4 {\n  font-size: 1.2em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  margin: 30px 0 10px 0;\n  color: #444;\n}\n.chariot-article p {\n  margin: 0 0 20px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article img {\n  max-width: 100%;\n  height: auto;\n  border-radius: 8px;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  display: block;\n}\n.chariot-article figure {\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article figcaption {\n  font-size: 0.9em;\n  color: #666;\n  text-align: center;\n  margin-top: 10px;\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article ul, .chariot-article ol {\n  margin: 20px 0 20px 30px;\n  padding: 0;\n}\n.chariot-article li {\n  margin-bottom: 12px;\n  line-height: 1.6;\n}\n.chariot-article a {\n  color: #f7931e;\n  text-decoration: none;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;\n  transition: border-color 0.2s;\n}\n.chariot-article a:hover {\n  border-bottom-color: #f7931e;\n}\n.chariot-article blockquote {\n  border-left: 4px solid #f7931e;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  padding: 20px 30px;\n  background: #f9f9f9;\n  font-style: italic;\n  color: #555;\n}\n.chariot-article strong {\n  font-weight: 600;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article em {\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article hr {\n  border: none;\n  border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n  margin: 40px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article table {\n  width: 100%;\n  border-collapse: collapse;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article th, .chariot-article td {\n  padding: 12px 15px;\n  text-align: left;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n}\n.chariot-article th {\n  background: #f5f5f5;\n  font-weight: 600;\n}\n@media (max-width: 768px) {\n  .chariot-article {\n    padding: 20px;\n    font-size: 16px;\n  }\n  .chariot-article h1 { font-size: 2em; }\n  .chariot-article h2 { font-size: 1.5em; }\n  .chariot-article h3 { font-size: 1.25em; }\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"chariot-article\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" alt=\"Man riding a bike in the city\" class=\"wp-image-2065\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/reduce-carbon-footprint-1.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>From fads<br \/>\nlike \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2019\/10\/24\/citi-flight-shaming-getting-traction-could-cost-airlines-billions.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">flight<br \/>\nshaming<\/a>\u201d \u2014 the guilt that someone feels as a<br \/>\nresult of their carbon footprint from flying \u2014 to increasing emphasis on<br \/>\nrecycling single-use goods, Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the impact<br \/>\nour choices have on the environment. Your personal impact can be difficult to<br \/>\nquantify, but one of the most effective ways to understand it is through a<br \/>\nconcept called a <strong>carbon footprint<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>At Chariot<br \/>\nEnergy, we define a <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/carbon-footprint\/\">carbon<br \/>\nfootprint<\/a> as \u201ca single metric by which we can<br \/>\ncalculate the impact of a person, group, or organization on the environment.\u201d<br \/>\nIt\u2019s one of the very first steps in helping the Earth, but measuring your total<br \/>\nimpact can be tricky \u2014 between your car\u2019s emissions, the clothes you buy or<br \/>\neven your electricity use, it can become very complicated, very quickly.<br \/>\nLuckily, there are many online resources that can calculate yours, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservation.org\/carbon-footprint-calculator#\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">this one<\/a> from Conservation<br \/>\nInternational.<\/p>\n<p>After<br \/>\ncalculating the size of your carbon footprint, it\u2019s time to consider the<br \/>\nvarious ways you can make changes to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are 10<br \/>\neasy ways you can reduce your carbon footprint by making small changes in your<br \/>\neveryday life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Drive Less<\/h2>\n<p>According<br \/>\nto the EPA, an average vehicle emits 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per<br \/>\nyear.<sup>1<\/sup><br \/>\nNow, multiply that amount of CO<sub>2<\/sub> by the hundreds of millions of people around the world that sit<br \/>\nin rush hour traffic twice daily, five days a week. That\u2019s a LOT of <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/greenhouse-gases\/\">greenhouse gas emissions<\/a>. One of<br \/>\nthe most effective ways to put a dent in this behemoth amount of carbon<br \/>\nemissions is to reconsider your choice of transportation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Public<br \/>\ntransportation, such as a bus or a train, is by far the most effective way to<br \/>\nreduce your carbon footprint from travel. It\u2019s also a great substitute for air<br \/>\ntravel. However, we understand that public transportation is not always an<br \/>\noption, so here are a few other ways you can get around without making as big<br \/>\nof an impact on the environment.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bike<\/h3>\n<p>Perhaps one of the easiest forms of<br \/>\ntransportation that has little to no environmental impact, biking is one of the<br \/>\nmore common forms of emissions-free transportation. A study from the Institute<br \/>\nfor Transportation and Development Policy shows that if we actively replace biking<br \/>\nwith motor transportation, the total reduction<br \/>\nof emissions by 2050 could reach 50% if cities aggressively pursue policies to<br \/>\npromote sustainable modes.<sup>2<\/sup> Not only can biking drastically<br \/>\nreduce emissions, but it also doubles as a great workout and provides you an<br \/>\nopportunity to get some fresh air.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Carpool<\/h3>\n<p>If biking isn\u2019t an option, hitch a<br \/>\nride with a friend or coworker. When you carpool and reduce the number of cars<br \/>\non the road, you are reducing the traffic and the amount of CO<sub>2<\/sub> that is emitted \u2013 it\u2019s a win-win for<br \/>\neveryone!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you want to carpool but don\u2019t know who to catch a ride with, one of the most well-known ride-hailing apps, Uber, recently introduced UberPool, a carpool option that the company describes as a shared Uber ride that allows you to split the cost of your ride with a stranger who is headed in a similar direction.<sup>3<\/sup> Not only is it more cost-effective than a regular Uber, but you are also able to share a ride and reduce you and your passenger\u2019s carbon footprint.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Minimize Your Air Travel<\/h2>\n<p>By now, we<br \/>\nknow that air travel has a big impact on the environment, but just how much<br \/>\nimpact does air travel have on climate change? Quite a bit, actually. Air<br \/>\ntravel currently accounts for 4-9% of the total climate change impact of human<br \/>\nactivity.<sup>4<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, however, there are times when air travel cannot be avoided. When air travel is required, flying economy is not only more cost-effective but it also has less of an impact on the environment. We know it can be tempting to upgrade to business or first class for extra legroom and in-flight comfort,\u00a0but flying first-class carries a larger carbon footprint, upward of three times larger than passengers in coach. First-class seats are heavier and take up more floor space than cheaper sections of the aircraft, so if air travel is the only travel option, choosing economy will lessen your carbon footprint. \u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Become a Flexitarian<\/h2>\n<p>By now, I\u2019m<br \/>\nsure everyone has heard the term \u201cMeatless Monday,\u201d a day where you forego meat<br \/>\nin order to improve the impact you have on the environment. But just how much<br \/>\ndoes meat consumption affect the environment?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you were to consume an average of 8 ounces of meat a day, your average \u201c3.5 ounces of meat (the size of a deck of playing cards), generates about 16 pounds of CO<sub>2<\/sub> per day. This means that every day, the typical American eating 8 ounces of meat per day generates 36 pounds of CO<sub>2<\/sub> from those meat products.\u201d Emissions from these meat products include carbon dioxide from fossil fuels used to power farm equipment and equipment to transport the food, methane from the digestion of livestock, and nitrous oxide released from fertilized soil.<\/p>\n<p>Think about<br \/>\nall of the meals you had in the past week. How many of them included meat? By<br \/>\ncutting out meat just <em>one<\/em> day a week, you are reducing your yearly CO<sub>2<\/sub> emissions by 1,872 pounds. If you<br \/>\ncan\u2019t imagine giving up meat more than once a day, give Meatless Monday a shot.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Reduce Your Consumption<\/h2>\n<p>Reducing your use of plastic, your food waste or the amount of water you use during your shower are all ways you can reduce in your everyday life and make an impact on the environment. A few examples include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Saying no to plastic straws and<br \/>invest in reusable metal straws<\/li>\n<li>Avoiding plastic utensils and making<br \/>sure to recycle them when you must use them<\/li>\n<li>Bringing reusable bags to the grocery<br \/>store\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Avoiding bagging produce when grocery<br \/>shopping and only using bags when necessary<\/li>\n<li>Investing in a reusable water bottle<br \/>and saying no to single-use plastics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Analyze<br \/>\nyour daily actions and see if there are areas in which you can reduce.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Reuse Items Again &amp; Again<\/h2>\n<p>Reuse can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. You can reuse an old t-shirt and turn it into a washrag, or you can purchase a reusable water bottle and cut down on your plastic water bottle use. A few home items you can use reuse are:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Plastic takeout<br \/>containers:<\/strong> clean and reuse them to store your<br \/>leftovers instead of throwing them away<\/li>\n<li><strong>Glass pasta sauce jar:<\/strong> Store dry rice or lentils for a plastic-free storage method<\/li>\n<li><strong>Newspapers and<br \/>magazines:<\/strong> recycle them as a wrapping paper<br \/>alternative<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0The<br \/>\nbest way to be successful with this step is to be creative \u2013 the opportunities<br \/>\nare endless!\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Recycle Single-Use Products<\/h2>\n<p>Despite recycling being a popular trend, 75% of plastic ends up in landfills and only 9% is actually recycled.<sup>6<\/sup> Producing waste is inevitable, so it is paramount to analyze your waste and see if any part of it can be recycled.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The most<br \/>\ncommon recyclable items are paper, metal, glass and plastic, but it is<br \/>\nimportant to note that all recyclables must be cleaned of any food or liquid<br \/>\nresidue and dried fully before recycled. Eat from a to-go box that had plastic<br \/>\nutensils, for example? Rinse off the utensils and throw them in a recycling<br \/>\nbin.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Want to recycle but don\u2019t know where to take your items? Berecycled.org is a great source for finding recycling locations by simply entering your zip code.<sup>7<\/sup><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Find Creative Ways to Repurpose Used Items<\/h2>\n<p>This step<br \/>\nof the <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/blog\/reduce-reuse-recycle-repurpose\/\">Four R\u2019s of Sustainability<\/a><br \/>\ntakes the most creativity but can result in the most environmentally beneficial<br \/>\n(and fun!) projects. Taking household items that you don\u2019t use anymore and<br \/>\nturning them into a new item is one of the more creatively challenging but<br \/>\nsatisfying steps of the four R\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Need a<br \/>\ncreative kickstart?\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Take an empty milk carton and poke<br \/>holes in the top of the cap and voila, you\u2019ve got yourself a DIY watering can.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>If you have any old jewelry, remove<br \/>it from its base and hot glue a magnet to the back for new and improved fridge<br \/>magnets.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There are<br \/>\nso many ways to repurpose, it just takes a bit of imagination to get<br \/>\nstarted.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Avoid Buying Stuff You Don\u2019t Really Need<\/h2>\n<p>When it<br \/>\ncomes to shopping, the first step to reducing your impact on the environment is<br \/>\nto buy less. Simply by stopping yourself from buying things that you more or<br \/>\nless don\u2019t need is an avoidance of emissions. Thus, these things won\u2019t<br \/>\ncontribute to your carbon footprint.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Buy the More Sustainable Option<\/h2>\n<p>When buying less just isn\u2019t an option, go for the most sustainable option. If you need a new dress for your big work event, consider visiting your local thrift store or sustainable clothing shop. In 2017, landfills received 11.2 million tons of textiles, and that number has only grown.<sup>8<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>One man\u2019s<br \/>\ntrash is another man\u2019s treasure, and you never know what you will find, so<br \/>\nbefore you buy a brand new item, think of more sustainable options.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. Rethink Your Home\u2019s Energy<\/h2>\n<p>Do you know<br \/>\nhow much energy your household uses each month? Have you considered just how<br \/>\nmuch energy even the smallest appliances use? Don\u2019t worry, the average American<br \/>\nprobably hasn\u2019t, but in the average home, 25% of energy is used to heat spaces,<br \/>\n13% is used to heat water, 11% is used for air conditioning and the remainder is<br \/>\nspent on appliances.<sup>10<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Take steps<br \/>\nthroughout your home to reduce your energy usage, such as:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unplugging items that aren\u2019t used<br \/>constantly, like the coffee maker or toaster<\/li>\n<li>Air drying your clothes as much as<br \/>possible<\/li>\n<li>Turning off the lights when you<br \/>aren\u2019t in the room<\/li>\n<li>Making sure that when you do need the<br \/>lights on, you\u2019re using energy efficient LED light bulbs, which can save an<br \/>average of 75% more energy than regular light bulbs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For a<br \/>\ncomplete list of ways to conserve energy, check out our article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/ways-to-conserve-energy-home\/\">29 Easiest Ways to Save Energy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Finally, if<br \/>\nyou get the opportunity, always go solar. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p>With a<br \/>\ncarbon footprint comes carbon offsets, which are ways to reduce or neutralize<br \/>\nyour carbon footprint \u2014 learn more about what carbon offsets are and <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/what-are-carbon-offsets\/\">how<br \/>\nthey work here<\/a>. It is in our own hands to reduce<br \/>\nour carbon footprint and make a change to the environment that could impact us<br \/>\nfor generations to come. Change starts with us.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sources<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/greenvehicles\/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/greenvehicles\/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/usa.streetsblog.org\/2015\/11\/18\/how-much-can-bicycling-help-fight-climate-change-a-lot-if-cities-try\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/usa.streetsblog.org\/2015\/11\/18\/how-much-can-bicycling-help-fight-climate-change-a-lot-if-cities-try\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ridesharingdriver.com\/whats-uberpool-shared-ride-cheaper-than-other-uber-services\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.ridesharingdriver.com\/whats-uberpool-shared-ride-cheaper-than-other-uber-services\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/davidsuzuki.org\/what-you-can-do\/air-travel-climate-change\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/davidsuzuki.org\/what-you-can-do\/air-travel-climate-change\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/the-highlight\/2019\/7\/25\/8881364\/greta-thunberg-climate-change-flying-airline\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.vox.com\/the-highlight\/2019\/7\/25\/8881364\/greta-thunberg-climate-change-flying-airline<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling\/textiles-material-specific-data\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling\/textiles-material-specific-data<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/guides\/year-of-living-better\/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/guides\/year-of-living-better\/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to reduce your carbon footprint but don&#8217;t know how? Learn what a carbon footprint is and how to reduce yours with these insightful and easy steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":23471,"parent":627,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23452","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23452\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/627"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}