Century Park Blog

What can we do to pitch in and help save Earth? There are plenty of things you can do every day to help reduce greenhouse gases and your carbon footprint to make a less harmful impact on the environment. Taking care of Earth is not just a responsibility, it's a necessity. Here are 10 things you can do now to help save the planet.

1. Conserve Water

The little things can make a big difference. Every time you turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth, you're doing something good. And stop drinking bottled water. Switch to filtered tap water. You'll save a ton of cash and help reduce a ton of plastic waste in the process.

2. Be Car-conscious

If you can, stay off the road two days a week or more. You'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds per year. You can combine your errands — hit the school, grocery store and dog daycare in one trip.

3. Walk, Bike or Take Public Transit

Walking and biking are obvious ways to reduce greenhouse gases. You'll get good cardio and burn some calories while you do it. If you live in an area that's not walkable, take advantage of your local mass transit or carpool. Even one car off on the road makes a difference.

4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

You can help reduce pollution just by putting that soda can in the recycling bin. It really does make a difference. Reduce the amount of paper you use daily. The average American household dumps 13,000 separate pieces of paper each year, most of it junk mail and packaging [source: Brigham Young University]. You can also take reusable bags to the grocery, and avoid using disposable plates, spoons, glass, cups and napkins.

5. Give Composting a Try

In 2018, (the last year figures were available) Americans generated 292.4 million tons of trash. Only 25 million tons of that was composted. Some was recycled and some was combusted for energy, but half of it — 146 million tons — ended up in the landfill. Plus, compost makes a great natural fertilizer.

6. Switch to LEDs

Light-emitting diode, LED, bulbs emit light in a very narrow band wavelength so they're super energy-efficient. Start replacing your old incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs now (if you haven't already). LED bulbs can last at least 30,000 hours compared to 1,000 hours for incandescent bulbs.

7. Live Energy Wise

Make your home more energy efficient (and save money). Your home's windows are responsible for 25 to 30 percent of residential heat gain and heat loss. If they're old and inefficient, consider replacing them. Also be sure your home has proper insulation. Smaller things you can do right away include replacing your air filter regularly so your HVAC system doesn't have to work overtime. Keep your window treatments closed when it's extremely hot and cold outside.

8. Eat Sustainable Foods

Today, large-scale food production accounts for as much as 25 percent of the greenhouse emissions. So how do you eat sustainably? Choosing food from farmers that aim to conserve the natural resources and have as little impact on the land as possible. But even buying as much as you can from local farmers makes a difference. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts, and less red meats and processed foods does too.

9. Plant a Tree (or Two)

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and most countries are not reducing carbon emissions. But there is a natural way to combat climate change: plant a tree. Plants naturally absorb carbon from the air. One young tree can absorb CO2 at a rate of 13 pounds per tree.

10. Give Up Plastics

The statistics are shocking: People around the world buy 1 million plastic drinking bottles every minute, and use up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags every year. Humans are addicted to plastic, and hardly any of it — about 9 percent — gets recycled. Break the cycle. Stop buying bottled water. Say no to plastic shopping bags and use cloth bags instead. Don't use plastic straws. Drink from a reuseable cup instead of a plastic one. Avoiding plastic can divert a ton of waste from the oceans and landfill.