What do you do to reduce your emissions?

[skierinvermont]

Only check if this is something you do or think you would do in a conscious effort to reduce CO2. It doesn't have to be the sole reason you do it, but it has to be a real reason and not just something you feel good about doing afterwards that you would have done anyways. Basically anything you would give serious consideration to doing and often do when given the chance even if you don't do it 100% of the time.

Let me know if I should add anything. I wanted to include small specific stuff but I don't want to get too trivial either in discussing things which theoretically save 1 gram of CO2 every century.

I find that I will make some sacrifices and will go through some inconvenience but usually will not deny myself something I really want or spend significant money to reduce CO2.

[TerryM]

It's an interesting poll

I honestly don't do any of the above to lower my carbon usage

I believe we crossed the 'tipping point' some time ago when W and Chaney got into power in the US and when Kyoto bit the dust

We should get the report about methane venting in the arctic by the end of this month and I'm not expecting anything good

The only question left is whether we end up in the Eemian or the Paleozoic

[Sunny and Warm]

I do nothing to lower my carbon footprint, as I believe it to be a fallicious argument. However, I do believe in conservation and many environmental issues, and so reduce my impact in those areas as much as possible.

[PhillipS]

It is an interesting poll. I find that there are very few things I do solely to reduce my CO2 emissions, but CO2 reduction is a common factor in my decision-making. For example, I eat less meat than in my younger days, and I appreciate that shifting away from raising livestock will reduce emissions, but my choice was primarily a desire to eat a healthier diet. On the rare occasions I have a steak do I feel guilty about the CO2 that was generated in raising that steer? Not a bit.

In my opinion, reducing one's carbon footprint is largely a process of learning new habits. Recycling is a chore when you first start, but it becomes second nature after a while. The same is true about turning off lights as I leave a room. Learning to love smaller, more fuel efficient, cars can be quite an adjustment, but a satisfying one. In my case I went from a 6L V-12 Jaguar sedan (my mid-life crisis car) to a 1L Honda Insight hybrid. The only thing they had in common were they both had four tires and a red color. But going from a gas mileage of about 10 mpg to over 50 mpg eased the pain considerably. Now, after several years of driving a hybrid I doubt I'll ever buy a conventional ICE car again.

What I didn't anticipate when I started reducing my carbon footprint are the unintended consequences. My wife and I put in about 700 square feet of raised-bed gardens to start growing some of our own vegetables. Tending the gardens is good exercise (+), so we no longer pay gym memberships (+), but I never realized how good (++!) truly fresh produce is. But I digress.

Skier - the only suggestions I have for your survey is I saw a duplicate question on keeping the thermostat below 68, and you might ask the question would a person buy an electric vehicle for commuting.

[Sunny and Warm]

It is an interesting poll. I find that there are very few things I do solely to reduce my CO2 emissions, but CO2 reduction is a common factor in my decision-making. For example, I eat less meat than in my younger days, and I appreciate that shifting away from raising livestock will reduce emissions, but my choice was primarily a desire to eat a healthier diet. On the rare occasions I have a steak do I feel guilty about the CO2 that was generated in raising that steer? Not a bit.

In my opinion, reducing one's carbon footprint is largely a process of learning new habits. Recycling is a chore when you first start, but it becomes second nature after a while. The same is true about turning off lights as I leave a room. Learning to love smaller, more fuel efficient, cars can be quite an adjustment, but a satisfying one. In my case I went from a 6L V-12 Jaguar sedan (my mid-life crisis car) to a 1L Honda Insight hybrid. The only thing they had in common were they both had four tires and a red color. But going from a gas mileage of about 10 mpg to over 50 mpg eased the pain considerably. Now, after several years of driving a hybrid I doubt I'll ever buy a conventional ICE car again.

What I didn't anticipate when I started reducing my carbon footprint are the unintended consequences. My wife and I put in about 700 square feet of raised-bed gardens to start growing some of our own vegetables. Tending the gardens is good exercise (+), so we no longer pay gym memberships (+), but I never realized how good (++!) truly fresh produce is. But I digress.

Skier - the only suggestions I have for your survey is I saw a duplicate question on keeping the thermostat below 68, and you might ask the question would a person buy an electric vehicle for commuting.

I agree with much of what you wrote. The lines between carbon footprint, conservation, and environmental stability are VERY blurred. If I by chance support the "carbon footprint" idea via my support of the other two ideals, then so be it, but I do nothing because of the carbon issue alone. I personally think less of a person that does not conserve for future generations by wasting resources. I'm sure some on here do that to me on the carbon issue. That's life I guess.

[LithiaWx]

Well I do lots of those things but it is to conserve resources and save money. The idea of my carbon footprint does not factor into any of those items.... I'm not sure why there would be a difference, I do lots of those things and regardless of my motivation for doing them the end result is the same...

[LakeEffectKing]

It is an interesting poll. I find that there are very few things I do solely to reduce my CO2 emissions, but CO2 reduction is a common factor in my decision-making. For example, I eat less meat than in my younger days, and I appreciate that shifting away from raising livestock will reduce emissions, but my choice was primarily a desire to eat a healthier diet. On the rare occasions I have a steak do I feel guilty about the CO2 that was generated in raising that steer? Not a bit.

In my opinion, reducing one's carbon footprint is largely a process of learning new habits. Recycling is a chore when you first start, but it becomes second nature after a while. The same is true about turning off lights as I leave a room. Learning to love smaller, more fuel efficient, cars can be quite an adjustment, but a satisfying one. In my case I went from a 6L V-12 Jaguar sedan (my mid-life crisis car) to a 1L Honda Insight hybrid. The only thing they had in common were they both had four tires and a red color. But going from a gas mileage of about 10 mpg to over 50 mpg eased the pain considerably. Now, after several years of driving a hybrid I doubt I'll ever buy a conventional ICE car again.

What I didn't anticipate when I started reducing my carbon footprint are the unintended consequences. My wife and I put in about 700 square feet of raised-bed gardens to start growing some of our own vegetables. Tending the gardens is good exercise (+), so we no longer pay gym memberships (+), but I never realized how good (++!) truly fresh produce is. But I digress.

Skier - the only suggestions I have for your survey is I saw a duplicate question on keeping the thermostat below 68, and you might ask the question would a person buy an electric vehicle for commuting.

Cool, thanks for helping keep the meat prices down, since I've been totally carnivorous for the last 3.5 or so years!! Healthier than ever!!

[tamarack]

Did not fill out the poll, for the same reasons as noted above. We've done many of the items, but for conservation (of resources and of cash) rather than with CO2 in mind. Some things are also a preference; I don't absolutely need a pickup, but it's right handy when moving firewood, and a 2WD 5-speed 4-cyl Ranger/Mazda (had one of each 1994 on) does decently on gas. Our thermostat is set at 60-62, but that's misleading, as we spend about 90% of our non-sleeping in-the-home hours in the LR with the woodstove (main source of heat) in the corner. And we don't buy al that much red meat, but very much enjoy the local stuff when I'm fortunate enough to take a deer, all of which have fallen within 1/2 mile of my home since moving to my current location, so the successful hunt generally costs a cartridge then $0.35/lb for cut/wrap.

[Alpha5]

All of the above.

And I drive an elephant to work.

Come at me bro

[Bob Chill]

I avoid bakes beans and keg beer completely. I should get a tax credit.

Jokes aside- I do quite a bit but my motivation is simple economics. My lower carbon footprint is more a byproduct of just being frugal.

I'm a huge supporter of alternative energy and electric cars. I'm looking forward to my first plug-in car. I also appreciate my county's effort to switch all buses to cng. Still combustion but a lot better than diesel.

[skierinvermont]

I avoid bakes beans and keg beer completely. I should get a tax credit.

+1 I was waiting for somebody to take that angle given the thread title

[rygar]

I personally don't do anything. I only do a small portion of these things to save my hard earned dollars.

[BadgerWXman]

Eat less beans