Take Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

What YOU Can Do to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

One way to understand and assess your own impact on our planet is to use a carbon calculator. Here are a few of them:

Cool California Calculator - a joint effort of the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission, the Berkeley Institute of the Environment, the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at U.C. Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Next 10.
Personal Emissions Calculator - from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agenecy
Carbon Counter - The Climate Trust
Carbon Footprint™ - Carbon Footprint Ltd is a U.K. registered company
Carbon Calculator - ClimateCrisis.net (Folks who brought you the documentary film "An Inconvenient Truth")

Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and reduce emissions.
Turn appliances and electronics off while not in use, and unplug unused chargers. Turn off appliances or other electronic devices when not being used.
Adjust your thermostat to 68 degrees F. in winter and 78 F. degrees in summer. Install a programmable, set-back thermostat.
Use less hot water; take shorter showers and wash laundry on cold.
Choose Energy Star® appliances.
- Visit the Energy Star website for more info.
Consider replacing older appliances with newer, more energy-efficient ones.
- Check the Flex Your Power website for rebates and incentives in California.
Find out other ways to save energy at home and at your job.
- Visit the Consumer Energy Center website.

Drive less, carpool, take mass transit, combine trips, and walk or bicycle for short trips.
Check your tires and make sure they are properly inflated.
Make sure your car is tuned up, and remove excess weight from trunk.
Reduce the miles you fly.
Purchase carbon offsets for each trip.

Consider installing a solar electricity system for your home or business.
- Visit the Go Solar California! website for more info.

Reduce consumption: buy less, keep things longer.
Recycle aluminum, glass, plastic cardboard and paper. Donate unused belongings to charity.
Buy power from renewable sources, wind, solar, geothermal.
Buy local produce and products.
Buy the most fuel-efficient car you can. Consider electric, hybrid, and compact vehicles.

Talk to your children about the actions you are taking and why. Kids can visit these web sites for fun and information:
- We Can Make a Difference! (U.S. EPA)
- Energy Quest (Energy Education from the California Energy Commission)