Patch Picks: Go Green

1. Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

According to carbonfootprint.com, “A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives, through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation, etc. The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce, and has units of tonnes (or kilograms) of carbon dioxide equivalent.” Knowing your carbon footprint is the first step to reducing it, which will ultimately lead to a cleaner and more sustainable environment. You can measure your family's own carbon footprint with this handy calculator: nj.gov/globalwarming/home/calculator.html. After you make the calculation, use the website to research ways you can reduce your carbon footprint, which will contribute to a healthier planet. 

2. Shop at Your Local Farmers' Market

Shopping at the outstanding local farmer’s markets in Collinsgwood and nearby Haddonfield is an environmentally friendly option, for several reasons. First, the foods you find at farmer's markets are more likely to be free of pesticides and are mostly organic, which means fewer chemicals are absorbed into the soil and the food you eat contains less toxicity. By supporting this kind of food—instead of mass-produced and mass-marketed food—you’re voting 'yes,' to a healthier planet. Second, in supporting your local farmers, you keep money flowing into your local economy, which means greater sustainability for your own community. And third, by shopping locally, you’re helping to reduce harmful emissions that would be otherwise created via the long-haul trucks that are used to transport food, sometimes across the country. Besides these environmental benefits, the food you’ll be selecting is healthy and delicious!

3. Plant a Tree

Trees are not only beautiful, they also do an excellent job of absorbing and storing carbon dioxide. Reducing carbon dioxide benefits the environment, because many experts feel that carbon dioxide can contribute to global warming. In addition to reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, trees planted strategically around your home can shield it from the sun, thus helping it to stay cooler in the summer months. This can lead to a reduced need for air conditioning. Reducing your need for air conditioning by just two degrees in the summer, and keeping your house two degrees cooler in winter, can reduce carbon dioxide by 2,000 pounds per year.

4. Eat Vegetarian at Least Once a Week

If you have a carnivore's appetite, consider toning it down. You can greatly impact the environment by choosing to omit meat from your menu just once a week, or more. To produce just one pound of beef, it takes 2,500 gallons of water. Carbon emissions are created from transporting that beef to the grocery store. When you eschew beef just once a week, you’re saving water, reducing emissions, and making a healthier choice for your body. Think about how much water and other resources you'll save by increasing your vegetarian intake to twice a week, or more. Better yet, consider giving up meat altogether, and enjoy a reduced carbon footprint—plus a ton of health benefits, too.

5. Pay It Forward

We’ve all heard the mantra “reduce, reuse, recycle," and all three are great ways to go green, and reduce your carbon footprint. Patch readers can take that idea a step further, though, by considering giving away unwanted items for free, to those need. By giving unused items away, you’re providing others with much-needed goods, while reducing the amount of energy it takes to produce more and more 'stuff.' This leads to reduced carbon emissions, a reduced need for natural resources, and an altogether healthier community. A reputable website to assist you in this process is freecycle.com. Who knows, you may find something there that you really need, as well!