Reducing your carbon footprint is one way you can make Earth a better place to live in.
Did you know that reducing your carbon footprint benefits not just your environment but you as well?
Your carbon footprint is measured by the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. It can refer to the actions of a person, a family, an event, organisation or even a whole country.
Usually, carbon footprint is measured by the tons of carbon dioxide emitted in a year. Greenhouse gases primarily consist of carbon dioxide but can include methane, nitrous oxide and other gases.
An increase in greenhouse gases emitted has resulted in rising sea levels and global warming. If climate change increases at this rate, it is estimated that one-quarter of Earth’s species is headed toward extinction in 40 years.
As an individual, the bulk of your carbon footprint comes mostly from transportation, housing and food. But, did you know that leading a healthier lifestyle naturally reduces your carbon footprint? Here are 5 easy ways how.
Consuming less meat is said to reduce your carbon footprint because the production of red meat has a higher carbon footprint than fruits and vegetables.
Going on a meatless diet or even cutting down on meat intake also holds several health benefits like reducing the risk of cancer, lowering your cholesterol and helping with weight loss.
Preparing your own meals at home can reduce your carbon footprint as you use less plastic from takeaway containers. On top of that, home-cooked meals help you better portion your meals for lower food wastage, as well as control the amount of salt and oil added into your food.
These factors not only reduce the carbon footprint of your meals but also aid you in eating more healthily.
Apart from meat, switching your regular soft drinks to water is one simple and healthy step you can take.
Consuming tap water has a lower carbon footprint than consuming soft drinks due to emissions involved in the transportation and packaging of soft drinks.
Doing this can also reduce your risk of diabetes, osteoporosis and kidney stones.
Changing to energy-efficient appliances reduces the carbon footprint at home and helps you to save cost in the long-run.
Electronic devices tend to draw energy even when fully charged therefore it is better to unplug any fully charged devices to cut down on wasted energy.
Line-drying or drying your clothes on a bamboo pole instead of using a dryer is another way to reduce the amount of carbon footprint produced in the household. Not only is it more sustainable, it even encourages you to get moving about the household if you have the tendency to laze around once you’re home.
Use apps like GETGREAT to monitor your sleep hours and earn rewards.
In-app features like FitAge help you track your physical activity (number of steps taken), amount of rest (number of hours of sleep) and cardiovascular fitness (resting heart rate). You can pair the app with a wearable to help you easily monitor and tweak your lifestyle habits to better support quality sleep.