According to the Nature Conservancy, the average American has a carbon footprint of about 16 tons. To put that into context, the individual carbon footprint needs to drop to two tons before 2050 in order to avoid a significant rise in global temperatures. With so much at stake, the netlogx team decided it’s time to take action and work toward carbon neutrality. But we can’t do it alone! Not only are we encouraging our team to focus on environmental friendliness, but we’re also asking our clients and community to be a little more cognizant of the climate. Here’s how you can get closer to carbon neutrality yourself, both at home and at the office.
Easy Ways to Boost Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is an increasingly common buzzword when it comes to home appliances and sustainable design. But how can you actually implement these measures without paying a pretty penny? First and foremost, it’s always helpful to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Instead of buying new every chance you get, ask yourself if there’s a way to reuse what you already have. Reducing water use is a big step forward to carbon neutrality, and all you have to do is cut down your shower by a few minutes!
Creating a more sustainable lifestyle is crucial to keeping the climate happy. One way to boost your sustainability is to reconsider the amount of animal products you consume. Foods and beverages that come from animals require lots more energy to produce than plants. If you can’t or would rather not give up animal products, consider purchasing from local shops and farmers’ markets.
If you have a little extra money to spend, why not put those dollars to use? Invest in making your home more sustainable with high-quality insulation and energy-efficient appliances. If you can, you might also opt for renewable energy sources whenever possible. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy are all great options!
Close the Carbon Neutrality Gap at Work
There are plenty of ways to make your workplace more sustainable without affecting your bottom line. Sometimes it’s the little things–like turning off the lights when a space isn’t in use or encouraging your team to use the recycle bins in the break room.
Maybe you want to make a bigger impact. In that case, you might consider biking or walking to work instead of driving. It’s also a good idea to hop on the work-from-home trend and collaborate online when possible. Not only does digital communication eliminate the need to commute to work, but it also means less waste at your physical workplace.
Money talks–an adage every business owner knows. If you’re committed to protecting the environment, consider supporting other brands and companies with the same goal. Whenever you order materials for your business, choose sustainable products instead of the cheapest options.
A Checklist for Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Minimizing your carbon footprint doesn’t require a lot of hard work. In fact, there’s plenty of small things you can do right now to lessen your impact on the environment. We covered some ways above, but take a look at our quick-and-easy checklist for reducing your carbon footprint:
- Insulate your home with energy-saving insulation
- Use renewable sources of energy whenever possible
- Switch to energy-efficient appliances
- Recycle paper, electronics, and plastics
- Take shorter showers instead of baths to conserve water
- Reduce your consumption of animal products
- Buy local whenever you can
- Invest in green energy stocks
- Support businesses with sustainable practices
- Choose products made from renewable resources
- Minimize air travel
- Use reusable water bottles, metal straws, and reusable food containers rather than single-use products
- Walk or bike instead of drive
- Turn off the lights to save energy
The 16-Ton Question–Why Is Sustainability So Important?
We only have one planet, and it’s becoming more and more clear that our actions are affecting its well-being. While individually we may not have the power to make a big dent in climate change, we have a lot of power when we combine forces. We encourage you to join netlogx in an effort to become carbon neutral and reduce, or hopefully reverse, the dire effects of climate change. The environment has been so kind to humans–giving us food, water, and the tools to build our communities. The least we can do is make an effort to protect it. Learn more about what netlogx is doing to put the environment first.
See how you and your organization can help the environment. Download our Carbon Neutrality one sheet for a quick guide!
