Helpful links for more information on what you can do in your daily life: New American Dream

What you can do:

1. Speak out:  Let your elected officials, from the local level to the national level know you expect them to provide real solutions to global warming, from promoting cleaner energy sources to offering better transportation options. 
2. Know your footprint:  Use one of the many greenhouse gas footprint calculators available on the web to find out how your lifestyle and choices contribute to global warming.  Use your results to find out how best to reduce you impact. 
3. Buy an efficient auto:  A car getting 40 mpg emits half as much carbon dioxide as a car that gets 20 miles per gallon.  Next time you are ready to buy a car, consider one with the best fuel economy and cleanest emissions in your price range.  Not only will you reduce your impact on global warming; you’ll save money at the pump!
4. Tune-up: Keep your car in good shape.  Little things like tune ups and properly inflated tires actually go a long way.  Most Americans drive on under inflated tires, causing us to burn 2 percent more gasoline that we would otherwise.  Keeping your car well-tuned can boost your fuel-economy anywhere from 4 to 40 percent – not to mention save you money! 
5. Drive less: Use public transit, bike, walk or carpool when you can. 
6. Audit your home: Audit your home’s energy use.  Ask your utility to do this for you free of charge or hire a local auditor.  An audit can tell you how to get the most bang for your buck when considering ways to make your home more energy-efficient. 
7. Buy an efficient home:  When looking for a new home ask about energy-saving features.  Homes certified by home inspectors to be energy-efficient can be 30 to over 50% more efficient than conventional homes.  Ask your lender about special mortgage programs for energy and location efficient homes. 
8. Upgrade your home:  More energy goes towards heating and cooling your home than anything else.  Simple adjustments to your thermostat can go a long way towards reducing your footprint.  Programmable thermostats can do this for you automatically.  Controlling the amount of light that enters your home during winter and summer can also make a big difference.  Simply planting a tree in the right spot can alter your home’s energy needs.  At a low cost, you can improve the insulation in your home by sealing cracks around windows and doors, or adding insulation to your attic or walls.  Choosing efficient doors and windows and especially high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment can really make a dent in your home energy use. 
9. Buy efficient appliances:  After heating and cooling, appliances like refrigerators and hot water heaters utilize the lion’s share of your electricity.  So even though more efficient appliances can cost more up upfront, you’ll save a lot over the long run and help reduce emission from power plants.  Shop for the Energy Star label.  These appliances are the most efficient on the market.  Take advantage of financial incentives that could lower the price of your purchase.  .
10. Change a bulb:  One compact fluorescent light bulb can cut your carbon dioxide emissions by half a ton.  It will also last ten times longer than an incandescent bulb and lower your electricity bill.  CFL’s now come in all kinds of color and sizes so it is easier than ever to find the right bulb for needs.
11. Do the little things: Wash clothes in warm or cold water, not hot; insulate your water heater and turn it down to 120°Fahrenheit; clean or replace the air filter on your air conditioner regularly; install low-flow shower heads to use less hot water – the little things add up to big savings!
12. Turn it off!:  Unplug appliances and electronics when they are not in use.  Did you know many of your gizmo’s use nearly as much electricity when turned off as when they are turned on?  Hook your television, video game console or VCR into a power strip and turn them all off at the flick of a switch when not in use.  And don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave the room! 
13. Choose renewable energy.  Ask your utility if you can buy green power and support renewable energy in your area.  Look into purchasing “green tags,” certified blocks of renewable energy that you help add to the nation’s energy grid. 
14. Eat smart:  Much of the food we eat today requires more energy to get to your table than it gives to your body.  Buy local whenever possible.  Many kinds of food are produced using energy-intensive and polluting practices.  Buying organic can help.  Lowering your meat intake (today’s mainstream livestock practices are a major contributor to global warming) can also significantly reduce your carbon footprint. 
15. Go neutral:  Once you’ve done everything you can to reduce your carbon footprint (or in those cases when you can’t avoid greenhouse gas intensive activities, like air travel), consider buying carbon offsets.  Buying offsets helps fund activities around the world that are reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Do you homework to ensure that you only purchase your offsets from the most reputable providers. 
16. Get Involved. You can help drive the solutions to global warming by joining one or more of the many groups advocating for change, such as the Coastal Conservation League. These organizations can help you become an effective advocate for change yourself by keeping you informed and sharing with you the tools for action. In the process you will add your voice to thousands and ensure that you are heard. Join a group today – and get active!