13 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint & Save Money

It's nice to be able to look at your routine and say that you’re doing your part in being kind to the environment. Sometimes, a few simple changes in how you do business or get around in your car have a positive impact. It’s not enough to recycle and stop using plastic water bottles. We’ve rounded up 5 tips for you to be environmentally friendly and save money at the same time.

1. Carpool: If you know your colleagues live close to you, ask them if they’re interested in sharing a ride to the office. Not only will you save money in gas fare by taking turns, chances are that you’ll be much more organized in the morning. Using only one less car a day can reduce your carbon footprint. The more people you convince to get involved the better! You can also share some laughs along the way to work, so there are other perks to carpooling too.

2. Move: Moving closer to your job may be a good option for you if you live far from work. While this is not the easiest step to take, if you know you’re going to be at the same job for the next few years, it makes little sense to spend so much time and money driving to and from the office. If you rent, this is much easier to do than if you own a home. If you love the home you own and are completely set on staying in it, maybe you need to change jobs to live closer to work. Only you know what the right scenario is for you but a long commute makes little sense.

3. Go Digital: When it comes to your car and home, you can easily go paperless, especially if you comparison shop the insurance you currently have with SmartFinancial. After you get paired up with the right agent, you can compare auto insurance rates or homeowners insurance quotes online. You can also buy the cheapest auto insurance with an e-signature (yay, no paperwork) and you’ll have paperless billing options too. It’s really easy, no stamps necessary.

4. Drive a Low Carbon Vehicle: Electric cars have zero carbon emissions if they are charged with clean energy (like your home’s solar panels, if you have them). Otherwise, you may be best off with a hybrid or a high-mileage gas/diesel car. There are still incentives to buying electric and/or hybrid in most states. Always check The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for incentives in your state.

5. Follow the Speed Limit: Driving fast sucks gas and so does excessive breaking.

6. Check Your Tires: Low inflation will cause your car to use more gas by up to 3%.

7. Solar Panels: This option requires a little investment but with the right financing options, your upfront costs will be much more manageable. Also there are still federal solar tax credits as incentives, if you’re on the fence about getting a solar panel system for your home You’ll also be saving money on bills and your savings will eventually cover your costs and then some. Solar panels usually come with a warranty and you don’t need to insure them separately. Compare home insurance rates to make sure you’re paying the least amount for the best coverage by visiting a verified paperless comparison shopping site here.

8. Insulate: You’ll save on air-conditioning and heating bills if you take the time to caulk, insulate and weather strip your home. The Energy Upgrade California is a great example of how states are creating incentives for people to conserve energy too!

9. Light it Up: Replace your incandescent light bulbs with LED ones, which will help you save a lot of energy and money.

10. Appliances: Not only should you only buy appliances with the Energy Star label but you should also only use your dishwasher when it’s full. Use your air conditioner sparingly and set it at a reasonable temperature, not arctic levels. There are ways to keep the temperature in your home lower by using window treatments, which will help you save a little on your cooling costs.

11. Set the Thermostat: No, you don’t need your hot water heater set that hot. Setting it lower in the winter and higher in summer not only saves you money each month in electricity bills, but it will be an added incentive to take shorter showers so the water doesn’t run cold. Look there: You just saved money in water bills. Plus, you did the world some good by conserving.

12. Trains Not Planes: The train may seem old fashioned and it certainly takes longer than a plane to get you to your destination, but it’s a lot cleaner energy-wise. Plus, you can enjoy seeing the country while you travel.

13. Cut Down on Red Meat: Lamb and beef cause the most carbon emissions than any other food intake. Cows, especially, emit large amounts of methane gas (yes, it’s what you think). The less red meat you eat, the fewer the demand for raising large herds of them. Too much red meat is not good for you anyway!