Leave a smaller carbon footprint

An ecological (or carbon) footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the earth’s environment. A family’s footprint consists of the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere to make that family’s activities possible. Here’s how to shrink your footprint:

• Walk or ride your bike to run errands instead of getting into your car.
• Take vacations nearby rather than traveling by plane.
• Turn to plants and grains for protein instead of relying solely on animal products.
• Recycle or reuse plastic bags, cardboard boxes and other packaging.
• Use mass transit or carpool to get to work.
• Start a compost heap in your backyard for food waste.
• When shopping for fruits and vegetables, choose pesticide-free produce that has been grown locally.

Calculate your personal ecological footprint at myfootprint.org, a site run by think tank Redefining Progress.