How to decrease your greenhouse gas emissions (in no particular order).
To: Bluedot Living
From: Liz Durkee, climate planner at the Martha’s Vineyard Commission
Make informed decisions and act on them
- When you need a new car, buy an electric vehicle
- When your heating system needs replacement, install solar or air-source heat pumps
- Call Cape Light Compact and schedule an energy audit; follow up on the recommendations (800-797-6699)
- Plant trees (unless you live near a forest where wildfire is a hazard); trees absorb carbon, provide shade, help control soil erosion, act as windscreens, lower your heating and cooling costs, add value to your home, and some even produce food
- Buy energy-efficient appliances
- Divest from fossil fuels
- Join Vineyard Power
- Visit the Island Climate Action Network website to learn more about reducing your carbon footprint and helping the Island adapt to climate impacts
- Buy less plastic; plastic is made from fossil fuels
- Buy local products; they don’t require fossil fuel for transport
- Cut down on eating meat; processing and transport use fossil fuel
- Vote for candidates committed to renewable energy
- Use your car less — walk, bike, use public transportation
- Take fewer baths and shorter showers — it takes energy to heat water
- Reduce your amount of air travel; planes use incredible amounts of fossil fuel
- Buy products with little packaging
- Compost your leaves and food waste
- Replace regular light bulbs with LED bulbs
- Recycle
- Purchase fewer disposable products
- Maintain your car
- Don’t buy fast fashion — buy quality clothing that will last, and secondhand clothing (recycle)
- Buy less stuff!
