Easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint

With President Barak Obama making a huge push to make America green through alternative energy, improving government offices, and even purchasing new fuel efficient cars for the government fleets, you are likely looking at ways you can make changes to your own lifestyle.

Making changes to your environmental lifestyle can be a lot like going on a diet. If you make small changes to improve your diet, they are likely to stick with your over the long run. Likewise, making small changes to your environmental impact will enable you to adjust to new changes in your lifestyle.

Then, make more changes and adjustments to your lifestyle when you are ready. There are a number of relatively easy things you can do immediately that will start helping the Earth today:

Keep the gas in the tank

As Americans, we are a highly consumptive people. We love to go shopping. While the current economic crisis is having its impact on consumerism, there is still plenty of room to improve. The first step to healing our planet is to very simply decrease the number of trips we make for errands, grocery shopping, and so on.

Most of the time, there is no need to run out and complete one errand as soon you become aware of it. Make a list of the things you need, and when that list starts to get lengthy, then make one shopping trip. Try to plan your trip so you can minimize your driving time.

Where possible, park your car in one spot and walk to several stores. Or if you do need to drive to separate locations, plan your route to minimize your mileage. Or better yet, hop on your bike and get some exercise while you run errands.

No bag, please

If you are purchasing just one or two items, tuck them away in your purse or carry them out. There is no need to get a bag for items you can just as easily carry on your own. If you are going to be purchasing several items, plan ahead and bring your own canvas bags. Canvas bags these days are no longer dull, beige eyesores.

You can purchase everything from cute or chic bags to manly looking totes. You will be more likely to use your canvas bags when you purchase bags you like.

Then store them in your car so you have them on hand to grab before you enter a store. In the event you forget your bags, the large majority of stores these days sell inexpensive reusable bags at an affordable price.

Skip the fast food

The benefit of fast food is by far the convenience of a delicious and inexpensive meal served fast. The downsides are of course the health content of that food as well as the incredible amount of waste your meal generates. Consider the last combo meal you ordered, with a burger, fries, and drink.

The burger was wrapped in paper or foil, and the fries had their own container. The drink had a disposable cup, a lid, and a straw.

To top that off, inevitably some napkins and condiments were thrown into a bag that had a receipt stapled to it. And when you were done with your convenient meal, all that was left was a bag full of trash.

You will save considerable money as well as drastically cut down on your waste when you plan your meals ahead of time. Plan shopping trips during non-mealtimes. If you will be out during a mealtime, plan ahead and pack your own lunch in a reusable container.

Bring some water with you in a re-usable container from home so you don't need to purchase a drink while you're away from home.

Check the packaging

Like your fast food combo meal, almost everything you purchase these days is boxed, wrapped, or double-wrapped. Start paying attention to the packaging, and make an effort to purchase items with minimal packaging.

For the packaging that items do come with, opt for those with recyclable packaging, such as plastics of a grade that your local recycling center accepts or paper. Then do your part and drop the packaging in a recycling bin.

Know what it's made of

In addition to looking at the packaging, you should also be aware of what your item is made of and where it was made. When possible, purchase goods that are made of organic or biodegradable materials.

Choose all natural materials such as cotton and wood rather than synthetic materials such as plastics and polyester.

Check the location

Look at the location where your item was made in or grown at. The closer your item was made or grown to your home, the better. If you live in Kansas and purchase an item that was made in China, that item had to use energy and give off waste during its production.

Then it was likely transported to the airport or sea port by truck or train, flown or shipped overseas from China to the US, then transported by truck or train in the US to your local store. That one item produced a tremendous amount of waste simply getting into your hands.

When you buy an item that was made or grown closer to home, you can drastically reduce the waste associated with your consumption. Even if you can't locate a product that was produced in your city or state, at the minimum opt for a product made in your country or on your own continent.

Simple ideas translate to green living

With these simple ideas for a greener lifestyle, you will be well on your way to reducing your carbon footprint and doing your part to help the environment.