With growing carbon emissions worldwide, resulting in global warming, the need to adopt greener approaches has been felt more than ever before in order to check our carbon footprint and thus sustain the environment. Here are some ways in which you can reduce your carbon footprints easily and effectively.
Shift to Cooler, Greener and Solar Powered Roofs
Every city in the world is covered to the hilt with roads, sidewalks, parking lots and roofs. These surfaced tend to absorb more heat, thus increasing global warming as well as urban temperatures. You can opt to increase the reflexivity of these surfaces by opting for green roofs, cool roofs and solar powered panels. In addition to reducing surface temperatures, this would drastically improve health and comfort. It would also reduce energy costs and help you do your bit to save the environment.
Opt for Buildings with CO2 sequester options
It is a known factor that wood sequesters CO2. Recent developments have also allowed the use of structural wood products in the construction of buildings. There have also been significant advancements with cement, leading to the development of negative carbon cement that uses the flue gas collected from power plants with sand, aggregate and cement. The cement can sequester over 1500 pounds of CO2 per ton. Companies like Blue Planet have been fervently working on this as well as other projects aimed at sequestering CO2 and other damaging pollutants from various other options like fossil fuel plants.
Opt for Sources with Low Carbon Energy
Switching to energy sources that have less carbon emissions is considered a wise choice that would reduce energy costs and help save the environment in the process. Coal is notorious for its high emission levels, which are six times higher than solar, 40 times higher than wind and an alarming 200 times higher than hydro. So opt to get your electricity (at least a part of it) supplied from renewable energy sources like a landfill gas project or a wind farm. This would keep you healthy and the environment safe in the long run.
Integrate existing systems with smart building platforms
Rather than opting for different building energy management systems and incompatible devices, consider shifting to a smart building platform that would seamlessly integrate and continuously monitor all these existing systems, controls and sensors for optimal comfort and energy use, sans the high costs involved. Another benefit of the smart building system is that its near real time maintenance options optimizes performances and reduces related costs in the long run.
Choose to Buy and Sell Green
Many individuals have started opting for green products these days, creating a demand in the market for such products. The only hindrance here is that customers sometimes find it very difficult to locate local, green products in the nearby vicinity. In this case, businesses can encourage consumers to be more environmental friendly via checking out labels of products on the local store or checking for carbon offsetting projects.
Buy Renewable Energy via Long Term Agreements
The recent years have seen many a building and city opting to buy renewable energy credits on a long-term basis. This would allow you to finance the projects associated with renewable energy as well as allow your city to purchase long-term clean energy from renewable energy power developers at fixed rates via long-term purchase power agreements.
Long-term purchase commitments assure a continuous revenue stream for these project developers who can then invest the amount in equity and debt financing aimed at project construction. Smaller cities can also group together to facilitate joint purchase power agreements at discounted rates, thereby assuring these cities of green, clean energy at low costs.
Summary
The world is gradually shifting to a greener future. Hence, it is the right for you to join the bandwagon and adopt a greener lifestyle as well. These tips will definitely help you reduce your carbon footprint and help sustain the environment.
