5 Ways To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Earth Day is approaching, and with that in mind, we can all do a little something everyday to help keep our planet green and healthy.

Here are five things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Switch to energy-efficient lighting in your home. Whenever your old lightbulbs blow out, replace them with compact fluorescent ones. According to energystar.gov, CFL bulbs last up to 10 times longer than regular incandescent lightbulbs and use 75 percent less energy.
2. Buy local produce and food.  Local farming practices are gentler on the environment and eliminate shipping costs and excessive packaging. There are local farmer's markets during the warmer months. You can also check with your local grocery store to see where goods are purchased from and how locally they are sourced.
3. Plant bamboo in your yard. According to a study in U.S. News and World Report, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants and sucks up four times as much carbon dioxide as trees.
4. Know what to recycle. Residents should put their recyclable plastics at the curb on the same day and in the same green bin now used to recycle glass and cans. Don't recycle plastics used in toys, furniture, utensils and tableware. If you have more recyclables that can't fit into the blue bin, put your extra recyclables in a clear, plastic bag and leave it curbside.
5. Leave your car home to reduce the amount of pollutants in the air. Take mass transit for local trips, or ride a bike.