Four High Impact Areas of Personal Eco Action

In a previous post, A Personal Plan for Climate Change, we wrote that a personal sustainability plan is about making and sustaining a change in your life that you can be inspired and passionate about. While passion is a great driver, we have learned that not everyone has the enthusiasm for a sustainable lifestyle plan. But, that does not discount the other personal drivers that can help create a lifestyle of environmental choices.

The truth of the matter is that one does not have to live a sustainable lifestyle to make a significant difference. By aligning personal incentives to just a few sustainability concepts, a person could reduce their carbon footprint significantly and almost immediately.

If you thought about it, making a small change in any one of the following areas would not be that difficult, could make an immediate impact, and could add personal and financial value.

•    Vehicle Fuel Consumption: Probably the most significant area of personal impact and sphere of influence. Potential actions include fuel efficiency and personal reduction (commuting, ride share, alternative transportation).

•    Electricity Consumption: By switching to wind or renewable sources, the average family could save the equivalent to thousands of miles driven in a car. Potential actions include source control (wind, renewable, offsets), home efficiency (energy star appliances), and personal energy management.

•    Water Consumption: Clear fresh water is rapidly becoming an endangered resource in even the most developed countries. Potential actions include water management (personal use and outdoor watering) and waste water management (controlling what goes down the drain and into the storm drains).

•    Waste Disposal: A large portion of what goes into the average garbage can is recyclable. By separating your plastics, glass, and paper, the weekly volume sent to the landfill could be cut by more than half. Potential actions include inquiring about recycling programs with traditional collectors and locating recycling centers in your area.

At Taiga Company, we encourage our clients to find creative ways to express eco awareness in their daily life. By making high impact changes that do not significantly alter one’s day-to-day world, the process of incorporating sustainability becomes much easier. Our eco friendly consulting is here to help define and address the sustainability concepts that are right for you.