Hitting The Reset Button
A few days into January and I finally have a moment to reflect on the past year. I didn't finish all the projects I wanted to (Shock!). Nor did I write as much as I intended to (Surprise!). But, I did finish some tasks and started a few more. What lies ahead in 2015? Quite a lot.
Right now, we are planning. Winter for the Ecofamily is surprisingly busy despite the lack of daylight hours. Much of that time is spent researching for the year ahead. My goal is straightforward: Increase our quality of life by living more sustainably / resiliently / lower C02 (choose your favorite eco-buzzword). While the goal is simple, the path toward it has been complicated.
To live more sustainably and better requires changes to both our home environment and our habits. I've taken an evolutionary approach to changing our habits, while changes to the house resemble Punctuated Equilibrium. This strategy of periodic improvements doesn't have the impact of a whole house / life makeover, but it is easier to manage (and pay for).
In short, we are resetting the CO2 status quo for our family. Our family has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to similar North American families. Depending on which carbon footprint calculator you use, our household produces roughly 33% of the CO2 of an "average" family in the USA.
So, can we live even better while we reduce our carbon footprint further? Stay tuned, because we're going to try.
More Info:
The Guardian - 'Sustainability': Is it a dirty word?
List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions per capita
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EPA.gov - Household Carbon Footprint Calculator (Doesn't include non-car travel!)
OR
Berkeley.edu - CoolClimate Carbon Footprint Calculator (more complete, but too many assumptions)
OR
CarbonFootprint.com - Business & Household Carbon Calculator
