Earth Day Special: How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home
As Earth Day is April 22, and we just got the IPCC report on global warming (read it here). It’s not looking amazing my friends. As you may know, we need to decrease carbon pollution by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050…
I wanted to do my part and bring you some actionable tips to lower your home’s energy consumption. This will be a more technical blog post than usual but it’s a topic that is dear to me and I will try my best to make it easy to understand!
You can switch to an electric car, but you can also switch to a better house, and that will have an even bigger impact.
(Notes: I will take Vancouver as an example here, but this would apply to most big cities around the world.)
Did you know that buildings represent around 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions? That’s right, almost half! Where does it come from? Mainly our heating and cooling systems. Today, nearly 60% of all emissions in Vancouver come from burning natural gas (a fossil fuel) for heating and hot water in our buildings. Watch this VIDEO from Vancouver city to learn more about what you can do to improve your home!
Did you know that we can build much better buildings that don’t need a heater at all? That would save A LOT of energy right?
However, if you are not able to build a new home, or buy a passive house, here are things you can do in your home to reduce your footprint:
1- ELECTRICITY VS NATURAL GAS?
First of all, natural gas is nothing clean. It’s greenwashing to call it “natural” since it’s fossil fuel that we extract and burn. Depending on where you live, the way your electricity is produced can be clean or terrible (burning coal for example). Research how your electricity is produced in your area! In B.C, we are lucky that our electricity is hydroelectric which means it's very clean. Check out the BC Hydro website here, they offer some cool kid friendly information and activities.
https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/renewable-city-strategy-booklet-2015.pdf
https://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/vancouvers-climate-emergency.aspx
https://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/vancouvers-climate-emergency.aspx
2- HEATING REPRESENTS AROUND 45% OF OUR HOME'S ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Prioritize using electricity vs fossil fuels (gas). Use electric heating systems such as heatpumps. Vancouver is currently offering incentives to switch to heat pump system. You can get up to 9000$ back! Check it out here.
You can also change your stove top to induction and electric oven.
Forget heating outside (yes those patio heater burn gas, and pollute!)
Source: 2011 Buildings Energy Data Book, Section 2.0.
3- INSULATION FOR A BETTER ENVELOPPE
It’s just like wearing the right sweater! You don’t need a heater if you have a good coat. So, if you are a home owner, you can drastically reduce your energy needs by insulating your house’s walls, basement, attic, windows, etc. Retrofitting can get be a great option! You will drastically improve your house’s durability as well (say goodbye to mold and drafts).
https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-insulation-for-your-house/
https://verycozyhome.com/insulating-your-home-from-heat/
4- REDUCE YOUR HOT WATER CONSUMPTION
Hot water comes right after space heating in terms of CO2 consumption in your home. Think about ways to reduce your hot water consumption. Less baths, more short, cooler showers. Wash your clothes and dishes in cold water!
5- REDUCE YOUR ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION
Even if our electricity here in Vancouver is “cleaner”, that doesn’t mean you can waste it. In fact, with the amount of electric cars we will use in the near future, and the millions of newcomers and new homes needed, the demand in electricity is going to be higher and higher. We need to use it wisely.
How about hanging your clothes to dry instead of throwing them in the dryer?
Turn off your lights when you exit a room, and change your bulbs to LED.
Change your appliances to lower energy grades.
Unplug / turn off anything you’re not using (TV, computer, etc…)
There are tons of other things you can do in your life to reduce your carbon footprint: fly less, eat vegetarian, bicycle, plant a veggie garden, stop buying plastic, buy second hand, and so much more. The most important advice is to buy less and become a minimalist!
BOOKS TO READ:
Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don't Know You Have - Tatiana Schlossberg
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate - Naomi Klein
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need - Bill Gates
ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW:
MOVIES/DOCS TO WATCH: