Note: this is Part 2 of my how to reduce your carbon footprint article. You can find Part 1 here:  How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint (part 1: your #1 source of carbon)

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by Buying Local

Most people do not consider the food they eat as contributing to climate change. But consider that the average fruit or vegetables must travel 1,500 mile from the field to your dinner table. Think about how much fuel that requires. And if you eat organic like me, then your food is most likely transported from all over the world which makes it even worse.

Also, think about all of the packaging used with our food today. All of the packaging is created out of petroleum products. This means that they all are responsible for emitting carbon dioxide and adding to your carbon footprint.

One of the best things you can do is to support your local farmers and buy local produce and meat. It is easy to find a local farmers market in just about any area. Not only will it help support your local community, your food will only have to travel a few miles to get to your plate.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint with Transportation

Once you have your home running more efficiently, you should then consider the carbon emission from your car because it is still a major contributor. It should go without saying that the lower the gas mileage the more carbon dioxide a car produces.

It used to be that the only fuel efficient vehicles were the tiny and slow as a snail cars which are just not practical for many considering space and towing needs. But today is a different story. With the advances in hybrid technology, they are now producing hybrid SUVs and trucks that still have all of the necessary space and towing capacity but with much better gas mileage.

Although hybrids are more expensive, it is estimated that you a hybrid will save you 16,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and over $3,500 a year.

But even if a hybrid is not right for you there are others ways to save both money and carbon. You can try using alternative transportation such as a bus system or even carpool to and from work.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by Using Recycled Products

One of the latest trends in the world is to make everything more convenient and cheap. This has in turn started the idea to make everything disposable. Everyone would agree that disposable is much more convenient but unfortunately it comes with a price.

Aside from the fact that landfills are becoming packed full of plastic bottles and the like, all of these disposable items contribute to carbon emission. And the more we use them, the more we make, and the more carbon dioxide we produce.

However, there are a few ways that you can make an impact. You can start by purchasing recycled products instead of brand new ones. This will also help keep all of this garbage out of the landfills. Today you can get just about everything recycled from paper towels to printer ink.

Or you can even take it to the next level and get rid of some of your disposable items altogether. Instead of using paper towels, use cloth towels which you can easily wash. Not only will this save you money but it will save you a good chunk of carbon.

Now that you know how to reduce your carbon footprint you can start thinking about the numbers. Consider the fact that the average American generates around 22 tons of carbon dioxide each year. And just to put this amount into perspective, the world average is only 6 tons. So it should go without saying that every single one of us has our work cut out for us.

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