It must be really hard being a young adult these days, what with all the terrible problems you’ve inherited ~ mostly climate change. An analysis at Carbon Brief indicates that young folks will need to emit eight times less CO2 than their grandparents. There’s a calculator at this link where you can estimate your lifetime carbon footprint based on your date of birth and where you live.
This a really skewed way to look at the situation. Personally, I think older people who have spent a lifetime of carbon excess should make a concerted effort to make up for it in their remaining days by drastically lowering their CO2 activities. Sure, young adults would do well to develop low-carbon lifetime habits; but adults need to do much, much more.
Yes, it’s difficult to break old habits: giant SUVs, giant houses, long road trips, and commuting 30 minutes each way to work to your house in suburbia. There’s not much you can do right now about the vehicle or the house, but what you can do to use less energy is delineated clearly in 1001 Energy Tips. The pandemic has made working from home a new paradigm, at least for a few days each week, and people want that to stay. Having a big house isn’t nearly so bad because it’s also your workplace.
A good start, if you’re still working at home, is to contact your utility company and ask for “Time of Use” utility rates on your electric bill. All commercial (business) accounts have those rates ~ 50% cheaper electricity outside of 4-7 PM on weekdays ~ and, since your home is now your business, you should qualify, too. Not to mention the 50% of the 30 million small businesses in America that work out of their home. There are many strategies explained in 1001 Energy Tips on how to take advantage of this unique rate structure.
LOL. Be sure the deduct the cost of the book as a business expense! Not to mention getting an allowance from your employer for the extra electricity, gas, and water you use having to work from home. You can deduct those expenses from your taxes, too.
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Excerpted from Going Green, available as an eBook at this list of eBook retailers online.