Reducing My Carbon Footprint

One habit that has been hard to break has been how much I consume and how much trash I produce.

This is my trash over 2 weeks. When I collected it and saw it all at once, it was disgusting. Almost everything I buy comes in wrapped in many layers. I get a lot of packages that I just recycle. I've started to compost over the last year (not pictured) and I know this helps but I am still producing too much trash that ends up in someone's neighborhood poisoning people, or is dumped in a landfill poisoning the earth.

With this in mind, I have also been trying to reduce other aspects of my carbon footprint. My wife and I just purchased a hybrid car (Note: we wanted a fully electric one, but it was out of our price range and we do not have the resources or home to charge an electric car) and I already use public transportation to commute to work and school, so I wanted to find other ways I could reduce how much I consume. 

I started with a quick one created by Conservation International Calculator that calculated aspects of my household, driving, and commuting/travel habits. I live in a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment for 2 people, I drive a hybrid car but rely on public transportation, and take 1-2 flights a year. We have central heating and gas, and no washer, dryer, or dishwasher. We also tend to eat mostly vegetables, grains, soy, fruits and nuts, and try not to eat meat unless its local, fresh, and organic. 

Based on these habits, the calculator suggested I donate $187 to offset my consumption to save the environment, specifically focusing on rain forests. It didn't say for how long, or how many times, so while this wasn't the best tool it confirms that if I don't do something to offset what I consume, I will just keep taking more resources than I need, thus taking away resources from others. Also, while I would love to  donate money, it's just not something that is in my budget right now as a newly wed and grad student. This is why I always donate things I'm not using anymore to Goodwill, and when possible, purchase new things I need from there as well. It might not offset everything, but it is another way I strive not to produce extra trash.

When I have some more time, I want to go do one that asks more questions, so I can get a better idea of areas of my life that I can improve in. I already strive to reduce my trash, recycling, and water consumption, but I'm sure there are other websites could help me see environmental justice from a new perspective. Especially because this website does not show the entirety of environmental racism or injustices, or the voices of those who are affected by my trash, but that is a post for another day.