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What You Can Do
- Get to Know (and Understand) Your Carbon Footprint
“Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.” carbon footprintsTM
Want to know how large your footprint is? Gather your household utility bills from the past year and then visit the Carbon Footprint Calculator.
- Simple ways to REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
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| Insulating your home can help reduce energy consumption. |
- Purchase Green Energy - Most Massachusetts electric utility companies allow a customer to pay an additional amount on the electric bill to purchase "green" electricity, i.e. electricity from renewable energy sources. NStar, National Grid and the Cape Light Compact all provide this option. If that is not an option, you can make a tax-deductible contribution through the New England Wind Fund to support renewable energy production.
- Reduce Petroleum Use - Transportation is the single largest source of carbon emissions in the Northeast. When purchasing a new vehicle, buy one that gets better gas mileage than your current vehicle. Carpool, use public transportation, walk, or ride your bicycle when possible.
- Be Water Wise - The energy used to heat or pump water releases CO2 into the air. Wash clothes in cold water. Set your mower at its highest setting to keep your lawn green with minimal or no watering during the summer. Install water efficient toilets, showerheads, and fixtures. Conserving water also helps to protect our aquatic habitats, which are often stressed by water withdrawals. Check out the EPA's Watersense website at www.epa.gov/watersense.
- Get an Energy Audit -
Often available for free from utility providers, an energy audit can help you pinpoint air gaps from windows, doors, and foundations, and prioritize the most cost-effective energy-efficient improvements to make. Conserving energy will reduce CO2 emissions and save you money. Request a detailed “cradle to grave” energy audit that fully identifies the energy/carbon footprint of all human activities in your household.
- Minimize Roof Exposure to Sun - By planting trees to provide shade for your home you can reduce the amount of heat that enters into your home. This step will help minimize air conditioning and fan usage. Reflective paint can also reduce roof heat intake.
- Eat Locally Grown Food -
The impact of food transportation around the country is massive. Eating foods grown locally reduces CO2. Other benefits? You'll consume fresher, more nutritious food and help support your local economy. Grow your own produce, shop at farmer markets, or join a community-supported agriculture program (CSA). Mass Audubon runs CSAs at our Drumlin Farm and Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuaries.
- Buy ENERGY STAR Appliances (washers, refrigerators, and dishwashers) - An ENERGY STAR appliance costs more initially, but you'll pay less over its lifetime in reduced energy costs. Many utility companies give rebates to help offset the initial extra cost. Visit www.energystar.gov.
- Reduce or Eliminate Air Conditioner Use - Turn the AC down when away from home, compromise when setting the temperature, and use ceiling fans to get better circulation. Install a whole-house fan in your attic to draw out the heat. Replace older air conditioners with ENERGY STAR models (often eligible for rebates from electric companies).
- Install a Programmable Thermostat - Automatically adjusting your heat to a lower temperature when you're away or sleeping will reduce your carbon emissions. You can also save money-about $150 per year, on average, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Many utilities offer rebates if you buy and install a programmable thermostat.
- Use Lighting Efficiently -
Turn off lights when you leave the room. Use compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to save energy and money. Each CFL uses 66% less energy than a conventional incandescent bulb, lasts up to 10 times longer, and saves more than $30 per bulb in energy costs over its lifetime, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Reduce “Phantom Energy” Consumption -
Cell phone chargers, microwaves, digital clocks, DVD players, televisions and other electronic items continue consuming energy when left plugged in. Own objects with a glowing light? Unplug them when not in use.
- Be Energy Wise With Computers -
Purchase an ENERGY STAR computer and monitor. Adjust your computer's control panel to automatically revert to "sleep" mode when idle after a few minutes. Turn off your computer when not in use. Check out www.epeat.net for help in evaluating, comparing and selecting electronic products based on their environmental attributes.
- Update Your Furnace - Older models are extremely inefficient. Upgrade to energy-efficient furnaces to reduce carbon and save money. Check with your utility provider to find out if rebates are available for purchasing energy-efficient models.
- Buy Offsets -
As a last resort, after you have lowered your footprint through conservation measures and life style changes, you can offset your carbon output by purchasing offsets that support carbon-reduction initiatives, such as planting trees or supporting renewable energy projects. Not all offset programs are equal and not all environmentalists support the use of offsets. Look for offsets that are Green-e certified.
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- Support Mass Audubon
- If you are not already a Mass Audubon member, please join today. Membership dues provide important support for Mass Audubon's efforts to reduce the threats of climate change.
- Joining the Mass Audubon Action Network will keep you up to date with our policy initiatives and inform you about pending environmental legislation so you can contact your political representatives to voice your opinion.
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- Get Involved in Policy Debates
- Encourage elected officials at the state and national level to support renewable energy. Vote for candidates who support these initiatives.
- International Agreement
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change established the Kyoto protocol in 1997, calling for developed countries to collectively reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to 5% below worldwide 1990 levels. The Kyoto protocol continues to evolve, most recently as part of the UNFCCC's Poznan, Poland conference in December 2008, and new international negotiation text is currently being developed
- Federal Activity
- The Waxman-Markey bill, filed in May 2009, would establish a national cap-and-trade emissions program and renewable electricity standards, and includes funding for climate change adaptation.
- Energy Efficient Legislation
- Energy efficiency legislation is often proposed at the local and state levels. Such policy needs public support to counter challenges from industry that stands to gain from more inefficient policies. Learn more about recent changes to Massachusetts policies that are promoting clean energy and energy conservation by this summary recent legislative successes, and visiting our wind power, energy, and state parks pages.
- State Laws and Regulations
- Massachusetts became a leader in the fight against climate change when the Global Warming Solutions Act was signed into law in 2008. This law requires a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, with an interim reduction of 10-15 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. There are opportunities for public input into implementation of both the mitigation and adaptation aspects of the law.
- Local Action Plans
- Many municipalities have local climate action plans. Get involved in supporting and implementing these plans.
- The state is assisting communities in implementing the Green Communities Act. Learn how you can get involved.
- By engaging with others in your community to improve planning and land use regulation for sustainability, you can help address climate change and protect habitat at the same time: http://massaudubon.org/shapingthefuture/toolkit.php#comm
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- Learn More
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