The individual carbon dioxide production for an American is 16 tons each year. No wonder the United States is the second-highest greenhouse gas emitter. As concerns about carbon emissions, climate change, and environmental sustainability increase, solutions also continue to emerge with the help of scientists and government funding. Companies and homeowners alike are adopting new solutions to help achieve this desired zero-footprint living. For homeowners, simple things like changing the type of bulb you use, or installing energy-efficient appliances can help save our planet.
Let’s look at what net-zero emission means and explore some practical ways homeowners across the country can help achieve this.
Understanding Net-Zero Emissions
Net zero refers to a state where greenhouse gas emissions equal the amount removed from the atmosphere. You can achieve this by combining measures such as investing in energy-efficient appliances, installing renewable energy, and embracing recycling. A carbon footprint calculator can help you get an estimate of your household carbon footprint.
How to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions in Your Home
As a homeowner, you have the power to make significant progress toward reducing your carbon footprint. Some main areas to concentrate on are:
- Home energy
- Personal transportation
- Food
- Waste
- Water
1. Home Energy
Our homes require a lot of energy to function, from water heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning to lighting. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the yearly average electricity consumption of a typical American home is around 10,791 kWh. For every kWh generated, around 0.81 pounds of carbon is released into the air.
You can reduce the amount of energy you use in your home. If other homeowners can do the same, the energy production by power plants will decrease, reducing carbon release globally. You can perform an energy audit to identify areas that help you save on consumption. Here are ways you can make your home more energy efficient:
- Improve insulation: Insulating areas such as your water heater, attic, walls, crawl space, and windows can save you around 10% on energy costs.
- Consider energy-efficient appliances: You can opt for energy-efficient appliances such as air conditioners (ACs) with high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), designed to consume less energy without compromising performance. Furthermore, look for products with Energy Star labels since they are thoroughly tested and meet energy efficiency guidelines.
- Upgrade your windows: Old windows can be energy inefficient since they lead to heat gain or loss; replace them. If you’re building a new home, work with experts and choose windows that are designed to transfer heat and improve insulation.
- Install a programmable thermostat: With a programmable thermostat, you can set specific temperatures depending on the time of day. This helps optimize your HVAC and avoid unnecessary energy consumption.
- Use energy-efficient lighting: Ditch those traditional incandescent lights and opt for LEDs (light-emitting diodes), which are 90% more energy efficient. Furthermore, you can utilize natural light during the day to reduce artificial lighting and HVAC costs.
- Seal air leaks: Use weatherstripping or caulk to seal air leaks around windows, doors, or any other opening in your home to prevent conditioned air from escaping.
- Invest in renewable energy sources: Consider installing renewable energy sources in your home, such as solar panels, heat pumps, wind turbines, and solar thermal panels. With a renewable energy system in your home, you reduce your reliance on the grid, meaning less energy production by power plants. If you cannot afford to install renewable energy systems, you can check if your utility company has clean energy options.
Other energy-saving tips include:
- Switching off lights and appliances when not in use
- Wash full loads of laundry
- Wash clothes in cold water
- Hang your clothes outside to dry
- Run the dishwasher when it’s full.
- Use smart power strips
- Use less hot water
2. Personal Transportation
The transportation sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the U.S., contributing around 28% of the total.The average passenger car emits around 4.6 metric tons of carbon per year.
By reducing the number of times you use your vehicle, you will help conserve energy, reduce your carbon footprint, and save money. You can cut your transportation-based carbon emissions by:
- Carpooling
- Cycling
- Walking
- Avoid car idling
- Ensure car tires are properly inflated to reduce fuel consumption
- Servicing your car
- Switch to an electric or hybrid car
3. Food
The food system accounts for about a third of total human-caused greenhouse gases, the largest portion coming from agriculture and land use. Greenhouse gases from the food sector come from production, transportation, handling, and waste. You can take a few measures to help reduce the carbon footprint caused by food in your home.
- Buy local and seasonal food. This helps cut emissions from transportation and boosts the local economy.
- Minimize food waste: Plan your meals and store them properly to avoid waste as they end up in landfills.
- Consider composting: Compost your organic waste to divert it from the landfill.
- Choose organic and sustainable products: They are healthier, lack synthetic chemicals and fertilizers, and have a lower carbon footprint.
- Reduce meat and dairy consumption: Meat and dairy contribute to roughly 14.5% of the global greenhouse gases. Reducing your intake and adopting a more plant-based diet will reduce your carbon footprint significantly.
- Use energy-efficient cooking methods: Use energy-efficient appliances to cook since they use less energy.
- Buy what you need, especially the perishables, to help reduce your waste.
4. Waste
The disposal and decomposition of waste in landfills releases significant greenhouse gases, such as methane, into the air. Waste management in your home can help reduce these emissions since you’ll minimize the waste you send to the landfill.
Here are some tips to reduce your waste:
- Buy reusable shopping bags
- Embrace recycling
- Eliminate single-use plastics
- Compost your waste
- Donate items that you no longer use and are in perfect condition
- Buy products from sustainable brands
- Make your own eco-friendly cleaning products
- Adopt eco-conscious storage
- Go digital to reduce paper waste
- Avoid bottled water
- Use reusable containers for food storage
5. Water
Water and wastewater utilities contribute to 5% of global greenhouse gases. Conserving water can help cut down your carbon footprint since it will reduce energy consumption and treatment processes.
Here are tips to reduce water waste in your home:
- Take shorter shower
- Fix any leaks on your toilet and plumbing
- Install water-efficient fixtures like faucets, shower heads, and toilets.
- Collect and reuse water
- Embrace sustainable practices for irrigation such as smart irrigation systems
- Run a full load of laundry and dishes
- Turn off the tap while not using the water, like when brushing your teeth or shaving.
Bottom Line
The net-zero emissions journey is a long one since it’s hard to eliminate emissions all at once. However, you can make the changes step by step and, in the long run, find that you’ve made big strides. The main areas to concentrate on to reduce emissions are energy, food, transport, waste, and water. Reducing your carbon footprint is not only good for your environment, but it also saves on costs and ensures the health of your family and community.
