Checklist Toward Zero CarbonUpdated July 22, 2009

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Checklist Toward Zero Carbon:www.checklisttowardzerocarbon.wordpress.com

We each need to reduce our carbon footprint by 90% to preserve any semblance of our current

planet.1 This is a checklist of what we can each do now to work toward this goal.

Table of Contents:- Foreword

1.0 Your Food2.0 Family Planning & Your Health3.0 Money, Shopping & Stuff4.0 Waste5.0 Driving and Flying6.0 Playing & Pets7.0 Your Home8.0 Work9.0 School 10.0 Renovation/Construction11.0 Calculate your Footprint 12.0 Buy Carbon Offsets13.0 Conclusion13.1 Epilogue (get political)

- About the Checklist- Checklist Sources - Climate Change 101 – a reading list for

everyone

1 With projected population growth, the earth’s weakening ability to absorb CO2, and affirming the right of people in developing nations to emit as much CO2 as anyone else, 90% reductions become a minimum target for stabilizing atmospheric CO2 levels.

Foreword:

In 2005 the eminent climate scientist Dr. James Hansen said, "We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption." Just a few years later, we are now crossing some of those tipping points. It's time to stop talking. We must reduce now. Read the checklist. Download it, edit it, make it your own and distribute it.

Melting polar ice will soon disintegrate, raising oceans to threaten the existence of Miami, New York, Shanghai, Jakarta, Calcutta, Lagos, London and other cities. The polar bears are going to die. And 20 to 40% of animal species will be extinct by mid-century. The tropics are turning to desert. Monsoon rains will cease. There will be drought, famine, and millions of refugees. We could be among them. Hundreds of millions of lives will be at risk, quite possibly billions. Yes, billions.

We face these consequences not in 1,000 or 100 years, but in our lifetime. We face an emergency, the likes of which civilization has never seen. What is to be our legacy?

The tipping point for atmospheric CO2 concentration is approximately 350 parts per million (ppm). Past it we are on the road to catastrophe. It's now 383ppm and rising 2ppm per year.

We need to take immediate action. We must halt the building of new coal and gas power plants that don't capture the CO2 they produce, and require the conversion of all existing coal power plants to capture CO2. If the power plants cannot be converted, let's shut them down.

There's no "silver bullet" to fix the problem - we must also massively invest in clean energy sources, forest restoration, public transportation, and in building a carbon neutral society. We need to elect leaders who are serious about this emergency to every level of government and educate the ones who are not.

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Let's examine our own lives and make them as carbon free as possible. This checklist is a simple way to get started.

As the dynamic of climate change feeds on itself, shocks lie ahead. The previously benign Siberian soil, locked for ages in permafrost, is now melting, releasing greenhouse gases (GHG) that exceed the total output of U.S. manmade emissions.

The oceans - now absorbing 2 billion tons of CO2 annually - are becoming acidic dead zones. Eventually if they tip they'll switch to being massive CO2 emitters, radically raising atmospheric temperature and sea levels.

While the challenges are enormous, let's start with what we eat and how we live and work. Let's begin by eliminating our personal carbon footprint.

Please read the lists. Think about it. Let's all do what we can.

Ken Levenson

Feb 29, 2008 (edited 2009)

1. Your Food:

1. Don't eat beef  -  or at least much less beef. Going vegetarian is best, but less is a start.  (If you do just one thing, do this.)2 (high impact)

2. Chicken in lieu of beef is better too.3

3. Stop eating all that processed food – or, like beef, at least eat much less. (high impact)

4. Read In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, by Michael Pollan.   (Quick read.  Very informative.)

5. Don't eat fish or eat significantly less.  Buy sustainably harvested wild fish when possible.4

6. Find out which fish are sustainable and which aren't at Fishonline.

7. Monitor what you eat and don't eat.5 (high impact)

8. Buy organic when possible.6 See Organic Food Info.

9. Become a locavore and buy regionally grown food.7 (high impact)

10. Find local farmers and consider a community supported agriculture subscription (CSA) at Local Harvest.

11. Shop at the local Farmer's Market.12. Consider joining the Park Slope Food Coop.

13. If you can't get it locally buy fair-trade food.8 Find out more at Fair Trade Resource.

2 Cattle produce 33% of all agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. And agricultural production creates 25% of human-induced GHG.3 Chicken’s carbon footprint is about one third of beef. Pork is half of beef.4 Overfishing and fish farming are putting tremendous strain on already compromised ecosystems.5 One quarter of America’s food goes to waste.6 Note that while studies show GHG is lowered for some organic products such as wheat and potatoes, for others such as eggs, milk and chicken the GHGs can actually be greater unless additional mitigation is utilized in their production.7 A conventional meal creates 4 to 17 times the GHG as a locally sourced one.8 Commonly found fair-trade foods include: coffee, tea, chocolate, cashews, olive oil, rice, sugar, hearts of palm, salmon, honey, salsa, jam and syrup.

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14. Grow your own food if you have the space.   Some if not all.  The more the better.   Read Food Not Lawn s by Heather C. Flores. (high impact)

15. No decent soil? Use pots.16. Drink tap water, not bottled water.  Tap water is

safe, clean and just as good for you. If you have concerns, filter the tap water.

17. Love Food, Hate Waste .

2.   Family Planning & Your Health:

2a. Family Planning:

Global overpopulation is the single biggest contributor to the climate crisis we face. While perhaps an uncomfortable subject to speak of, it must be if we are serious about saving the planet as we know it.

1. Prevent unplanned pregnancies.  (high impact)2. Plan in a way that makes sense for you - but

plan. Two, of many possible sources for guidance:   Planned Parenthood ,  The Catholic Church

3. If you're thinking about having a second child, consider adoption.

4. If you're thinking about a third or fourth child, really, really consider adoption.

2b. Your Health:

The U.S. spends 16% of its gross domestic product on health care, the highest percentage in the world. Needless to say, health care in America has a massive carbon footprint.

1. Don't smoke.

2. Reduce sugars9, high fructose corn syrup and sodas.

3. Reduce white flour and white rice.

9 Sugar can cause or make worse: diabetes, obesity, immune system suppression, hyperactivity in children, alcoholism, arthritis, asthma, heart disease, gallstones, osteoporosis, some types of cancer and cataracts.

4. Reduce fried and processed foods.5. Eat and drink in moderation.6. Get a regular medical check-up.7. Get enough sleep.8. Exercise and control your weight. (walk, ride your

bike and take the stairs instead of the elevator!)9. Practice good dental hygiene.10. Keep yourself healthy through preventative care

with all of the above. (high impact)

3.   Money, Shopping & Stuff:

3a. Money:1. Patronize and invest in companies that are

working to solve the problem.1011 Help change our business culture. (high impact)

2. Boycott ExxonMobil.12 3. Consider investing in climate change oriented

mutual funds.13 4. Bank and pay bills online - get statements via

email. 5. Don't ask for ATM receipts. 6. Use a green credit card. They offer points

specifically for use towards carbon offsets or renewable energy credits.  Brighter Planet from Bank of America is one option.

3b. Shopping & Stuff:

Every consumer dollar spent on new stuff puts approximately .5 lbs of carbon into the atmosphere. The average American spends $10,000 per household, per year on consumer goods. (Things like gifts, toys, music, books, tools, household goods, cosmetics, toiletries, paper goods, etc... But not including things like mortgage, health care, debt service, car payments,

10 Find out which are and which aren't at Climate Counts.  Some of the scores are bound to surprise you.11 McKinsey Global Institute reports that with targeted annual investment of $170 billion, investors could cut by half the rate of projected global energy growth over the next 13 years – while earning an average annual return of 17 percent.12 While all oil companies are problematic, ExxonMobil is alone in denying the urgency of the problem and is actively undermining the public’s understanding of climate change by funding bogus front groups and think tanks. See ExxposeExxon.com.13 Calvert Global Alternative Energy Fund, DWS Climate Change Fund, Spectra Green Fund and Winslow Green Solutions Fund.

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etc...) A 90% cut would be $1,000 per household, per year.14 1. Watch the online video "The Story of Stuff with

Annie Leonard".   And monitor what you buy. (high impact)

2. Give special attention to major purchases.

3. Purchase recycled products.15

4. Purchase green products and avoid "green-washed" products. They say they're green but the labels may tell a different story.

5. Shop locally at locally owned businesses. Invest in a vibrant local economy - so you never have to drive.

6. Purchase natural and concentrated cleaning products.16

7. Buy Green beauty products.17

8. Use organic dry cleaning.9. Or avoid buying clothing that requires dry

cleaning.

10. Consider natural, organic-fiber clothing.18

11. Use Freecycle - people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns.

12. For fashionistas: Clothing Swap and Swap Style.

13. More green wardrobe choices.14. Reuse construction material and equipment. 

Planet Reuse.15. Online vendors in green goods:  Make Me

Sustainable.16. Rediscover your local library.17. Buy staple items in bulk or in the largest size

possible.18. Don't buy over-packaged items. Avoid

individually wrapped single servings.19. Buy fresh foods instead of canned.

14 Riot 4 Austerity.15 Making products from recycled aluminum uses 95% less energy than from virgin aluminum.16 Biokleen, Ecover, Method, Seventh Generation, Shaklee, Solay Simple.17 Farmaesthetics, Burt’s Bees, L’Artisan Parfumeur, Ecotools, Acquarella, Jurlique, Korres Natural Products.18 Under the Canopy, Patagonia and Prana.

20. Buy music downloads and avoid the packaging altogether.

21. Say no to Styrofoam.22. When shopping, bring your own bags to use.

4.   Waste:

1. Audit Audit and reduce your garbage.19 (high impact)

2. Work to reduce your waste a little bit more ever day:  Eco-Cycle can help.

3. Recycle paper, metal and plastics per NYC law.20

4. Consider recycling the plastics NYC won't accept at the Park Slope Food Coop.21

5. Opt out of mail order catalogs you don't want through Catalog Choice.

6. Stop junk mail. Go to Eco-Cycle. 7. Donate or sell your castoffs:  Freecycle,  NYC

Stuff Exchange,  Clothing Swap, Swap Style.8. Sell it on EBay, Craig's List or on the stoop.9. Recycle what you can't sell or give away.

10. Cell phones22 and rechargeable batteries - Call 2 Recycle.

11. Shoes - Reuse a Shoe.12. Carpet - Carpet America Recovery Effort.13. Computers - Electronics Take Back Coalition.14. Building supplies - Habitat for Humanity.15. CDs & DVDs - Green Disk.16. Say "No" to disposables.

17. Use reusable shopping bags.23

19 The average American generates 1,460 pounds in a year. Think about what you can do to improve your recycling and consumption rates, and do it!20 Metal mining consumes approx. 9% of our global energy output.21 The Coop has three collection days each month, and best of all, they accept plastics from any neighborhood resident (excluding businesses), not just Coop members.22 Cell phones are about 14% copper by weight and contain other precious metals and are valuable.23 If you forgot your bag and need to choose between paper and plastic, while debatable, the carbon reduction advantage goes to paper as it is more easily reused and recycled.

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18. Use cloth napkins.19. Use dish towels instead of paper towels.20. Don't use disposable plates, cups, or silverware.21. Use rechargeable batteries.22. Compost!  If you live in an apartment, compost

at your nearest community garden.  A great source of nutrients for plants and gardens.

23. Place a water bottle in your toilet tank and reduce the volume of water you use.

24. Your laptop is about five times more energy-expensive to make than a car or fridge.  So upgrade first before you replace.  Install more memory or faster processor.  Reuse. Give your PC away.  Recycle. Many manufacturers will take your machine when you buy a new one.

25. Feeling like no matter what you do it's just not enough?   Install an Envirolet composting toilet!

5.   Driving & Flying:

Average American gasoline usage is 500 gallons per person, per year. A 90 percent reduction would be 50 gallons per person, per year.24

1. Set concrete goals for reducing your travel (high impact).

5a. Driving:1. Walk, ride your bike, or take public

transportation instead. (high impact)2. Get a hybrid.3. Trade in the SUV or truck for a higher mileage

car.4. Get a diesel engine and run it on local used

cooking oil. Check out Tri-State Biodiesel, Fill Up for Free and Grease Car for more info.

5. Use bio-fuel with caution.25

24 Riot 4 Austerity.25 Biofuels, -- made from surgarcane, corn, palm and soybeans –were once thought to be a miracle, reducing greenhouse gases and employing farmers. Recent studies in Science and Nature conclude that when produced on converted lands, biofuels will effectively emit more GHGs than the fossil fuels they displace.

6. Consolidate trips: don't drive until you've got a few errands.

7. If you drive to work, share your commute.8. Maintain your car's fuel efficiency. Tune it up.

Change the oil. Fix a cracked or missing gas cap. Strip the rack when not in use. Unload the trunk. Maintain recommended tire pressure.

9. Drive the speed limit.26

10. And stop driving like a maniac - those abrupt starts and stops can cost you up to 37%in fuel efficiency.

11. Use cruise control on the highway.12. Avoid excessive idling.13. Don't top off the fuel tank.14. Need a car service? Try NYC Green Car.

5b. Flying:

Air travel currently contributes about 3 percent of global carbon emissions as well as nitrous oxide which has double the impact of CO2. Air travel is set to triple by 2030.1. Don't fly. (high impact)2. Take a train instead of flying.

3. If you must fly:  Book direct flights.  One stop-over on a 3,500 mile trip will produce 25% more carbon dioxide than flying direct.  Fly in a newer, more fuel-efficient plane.27 And consider buying carbon offsets to balance specific trips.

4. The best frequent flier miles are those unspent. Donate your miles to the Red Cross, Make a Wish Foundation, the National Marrow Donor Program or a charity of your choice.

6.   Playing and Pets:

6a. Playing:Where farmers have changed from growing feed corn to fuel, no such problem exists. So the trick is to get your biofuel from properly managed land. New land use regulations will be required to insure that the use of biofuels fulfill their promise of net reductions.26 The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that for every 5 mph above 60, the decreased fuel efficiency costs $0.20 a gallon.27 Such as the Airbus A340 or A380 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

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Remind yourself what it is you're trying to save: the environment we've got.  Get out and enjoy:  City parks.  State parks.  National parks.

1. Carry it in, carry it out.2. Observe wildlife, don't disturb.3. Hike, row, sail, ski, or paddle - don't motor.

(high impact)

4. Don't Cruise.28 Or consider a sailing cruise.

5. Take a vacation close to home. (high impact)6. For green vacation tips check out Green

Globetrotter, The International Ecotourism Society, Traveling the Green Way and Whole Travel.

7. Share books, CDs, tapes, magazines with friends, hospitals, and prisons.

8. Throw a party and raise consciousness. Or join the festivities planned for Earth Day , Clean up the World Day or World Car Free Day.

9. Plan a green wedding celebration at Ethical Weddings.

6b. Pets:1. Get your pet from an animal shelter.2. Don't get exotic pets.3. Spay or neuter your cat or dog.4. Select healthy pet food at Pet Diets.

7.   Your Home:

Average US electrical usage is 11,000 kwh per household, per year, or about 900 kwh per household per month. A 90% reduction would mean using 1,100 per household, per year or 90 kwh per household, per month.29

1. Switch your home's electrical power source to wind and/or solar or hydro power.  ConEd and other utilities obtain power from traditional and green sources and you can choose green, which adds approximately $10/month to your electric bill.  Help push the utilities to produce more

28 Data recently released by cruise line owner Carnival shows the carbon footprint of a typical cruise is over 400 lbs. of carbon per passenger per day or more than three times higher than the carbon footprint of long-distance plane travel.29 Riot 4 Austerity.

renewable energy. Go to Power Your Way. (high impact)

2. Sub-size it.  Houses between 1,500 and 2,000 s.f. consume 40% less energy than a 4,000+ s.f. McMansion. (high impact)

3. If you're moving, choose a home near public transportation – and use it. (high impact)

4. If you're moving, consider a row house or an apartment building instead of a detached home. Promote the construction of energy-efficient apartment buildings over single-family homes.

5. Consider renovating an old home rather than building new.30

6. Rehabilitate, renovate, reuse and preserve. Get resources at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

7. Whether renovating or building new,  single family or multi-family, consider Passive House construction standards to truly achieve 90% energy reduction and optimal light and air quality too.   Visit the Passive House Institute US or where it originated, the Passivhaus Institut. (high impact)

8. Conduct a Home Energy Audit -  do-it-yourself via the U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory's Home Energy Saver.   Or hire a certified home energy audit professional through the Residential Energy Resources Network. (high impact)

9. Monitor your home electrical use.   Real time access to your household's energy information will allow you to smartly reduce your electric bill.    Use The Energy Detective (TED) to give you a fascinatingly detailed picture of how you use electricity in real time.  Available through Energy Circle and TerraPass among others.   (In the future Google will also be offering Power Meter across the U.S.) (high impact)

7a. Re-Insulate:

If your home is more than 10 years old, it is probably under-insulated. Heat loss due to inadequate insulation can account for 30% of home heating and cooling costs. Most heat escapes through the roof as

30 Renovating, rather than building a new home captures the “embodied energy” of the existing structure. Restoration produces less waste and uses less energy.

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heat in the home rises, so a properly insulated attic is a priority for an energy efficient home.

1. Install as much insulation as possible, everywhere possible – incorporate as many of the items listed below as possible.. (high impact)

2. Weather stripping and caulking -  Probably the least expensive, simplest, most effective way to insulate and cut down on energy waste in the winter. Improperly sealed homes can waste 10 to 15% of the homeowner's heating dollars.  Check around doors and windows for leaks and drafts. Add weather stripping and caulk any holes you see that allow heat to escape. Make sure doors seal properly.

3. If your windows leak really badly, consider replacing them with newer, more efficient ones. Keep in mind, however, that replacing windows can be expensive.

4. Every duct, wire or pipe that penetrates the wall or ceiling or floor has the potential to waste energy. Plumbing vents can be especially bad, since they begin below the floor and go all the way through the roof. Seal them all with caulking or weather-stripping.

5. Electric wall plugs and switches can allow cold air in. Purchase simple-to-install, pre-cut foam gaskets that fit behind the switch plate and effectively prevent leaks.

6. Roofs -  Install a green roof - plantings provide building insulation in summer, and site water management.   See Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

7. Windows & Doors - Close the blinds on hot summer days, open them on cool winter days.

8. Install window quilts.9. Use storm doors and windows in cool

environments.10. Install high-performance windows when it's

time to replace them.11. Heating and Cooling Systems - Examine your

house's heating ducts for leaks. Mostly out of sight, ducts can leak for years without you knowing it. You can save roughly 10% of your heating bill by sealing them.

12. Insulate hot water pipes.13. Fireplace -Avoid using the fireplace when the

heating system is on.14. Install fireplace inserts (doors and circulation

blowers) so less warm air goes up the chimney when the fireplace is going.

15. Don't forget to close the damper on your fireplace when not in use.

7b. Heating:

US average natural gas usage is 1000 therms per household, per year. A 90% reduction would mean a reduction to 100 therms per household, per year.31

Heating Oil (this is used by only about 8% of all US households, mostly in the Northeast). Average US usage is 750 Gallons per household, per year. A 90% cut would mean using 75 gallons per household, per year.32

Wood. This is a tough one. The conventional line is that wood is carbon neutral, but, of course, wood that is harvested would have otherwise been absorbing carbon and providing forest. There are good reasons to be skeptical about this. Therefore wood is divided into two categories.33

a) Locally and sustainably harvested, and either using deadwood, trees that had to come down anyway, coppiced or harvested by someone who replaces every lost tree. This is deemed carbon neutral, and you can use an unlimited supply. This would include street trees your town is taking down anyway, wood you cut on your property and replant, coppiced wood (that is, you cut down some part of the tree but leave it to grow), and standing and fallen deadwood. You can use as much of this as you like. 

b) Wood not sustainably harvested, or transported long distances, or you don't know. 1 cord of this is equal to 15 gallons of oil or 20 therms of natural gas.

1. Have your heating system cleaned and inspected regularly by a qualified contractor.

2. Set your thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night and when no one is home. Each degree over 68 can increase by 3 percent the amount of energy you use for heating.

3. Put on a sweater. There are numerous ways to improve home heating efficiency, but none so

31 Riot 4 Austerity.32 Ibid.33 Ibid.

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simple as dressing warmly and dialing back the thermostat.

4. Install a programmable thermostat and set it to turn down the heat at night and when no one is home. Lowering the thermostat 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day can save you about 10 percent a year on heating costs.

5. Keep drapes or furniture away from radiators and baseboard heaters so heat can flow freely.

6. Remove window air conditioners when the weather gets cool. If you can't, enclose them with a cover.

7. Open blinds and shades, particularly on the south and west sides of your home before you leave in the morning to make use of the sun's heating potential.

8. Use an efficient humidifier to maintain comfortable humidity levels and help you conserve heat. Proper humidity helps you feel comfortable without turning up the heat.

9. Use ceiling fans to circulate warm air in winter, especially in rooms with high ceilings.

10. Close doors and warm-air vents in unused rooms, but in extreme cold, be aware of water pipes that could freeze and burst.

11. If you have a hot-water heating system, release any trapped air from radiators.

12. Radiators can lose heat into exterior walls. Reduce this loss by placing reflectors between the wall and the radiator.

13. Clean or replace filters for your hot-air furnace and heat pump every month during the heating season or use filters made to run six to 12 months before needing replacement.

14. Insulate any hot-water pipes that pass through unheated spaces. For steam pipes, use nonfoam insulation, as foam can melt.

15. When buying a new furnace or boiler, look for the ENERGY STAR label.

16. When you're away turn the thermostat down to 50 degrees.

7c. Air Conditioning:1. Dress cool: don't turn on the air conditioning.

(Sweating it out could be good training for a hotter planet.)

2. Switching to high-efficiency air conditioners and reducing your air-conditioning use can cut your cooling costs by 20 to 50 percent.

3. Install properly sized high efficiency AC units. A larger-than-needed air conditioner cycles on and off more frequently, reducing its efficiency.

4. Inspect and clean your air conditioner or cooling system regularly. A well-maintained unit uses less electricity.

5. If you have central air conditioning, keep the condenser unit's coils and fins clean. Remove grass, leaves, and other debris that may collect.

6. Set your air conditioner to no cooler than 78 degrees. Lower than 78 degrees can increase your costs by up to 40 percent.

7. Install ceiling fans or whole house fans to help reduce your need to use the air conditioner. A fan will make a room feel 4 to 6 degrees cooler, making it possible to raise the thermostat from 78 degrees to 82 degrees or higher. For every degree you raise the air conditioning thermostat, you can save 7 to 10 percent on cooling costs.

8. Alternate the use of air conditioning and fans. When you're comfortable, shut down your air conditioner and turn on the fan. This approach can cut air conditioner use by up to 40 percent.

9. Don't air-condition an empty room.10. Whenever the outdoor temperature is below 72

degrees open windows for cooling in lieu of A/C.11. Turn your air conditioner off when you leave

home.12. Install a programmable thermostat or use a timer

to turn on your air conditioner a half hour before you return home rather than having it run all day.

13. If you have central air-conditioning, consider Con Edison's offer of a free programmable thermostat. Visit ConEdison and find out more.

14. Clean or replace air-conditioner filters at least once a month during the cooling season.

15. Shade windows that face south, east, and west. Keep windows, drapes, and shades closed during the day. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes in through windows.

16. Install your air conditioner in a shady area, if possible.

17. When it's time to cook in the summer months, grill outside and keep your oven off.

18. In the summer months, run your washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher early in the day or at night when it's generally cooler.

7d. Water Consumption & Heating:

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The Average American uses 100 Gallons of water per person, per day. A 90% reduction would mean 10 gallons per person, per day.34

1. Visit the Alliance for Water Efficiency.2. Next to heating or cooling, water heating is

typically the largest energy user in the home. To conserve energy, conserve hot water.

3. Plan on buying an energy efficient water heater before your old one fails. If your gas water heater is more than 10 years old, it may be operating at less than 50 percent efficiency.

4. Set your water heater no higher than 120 degrees.

5. If appropriate, consider a demand water heater that has no storage tank. It can reduce your energy use by 10 to 15 percent.

6. Wrap your hot-water storage tank with an insulation blanket. If it's a newer model check to confirm it doesn't void the warrantee and is fully compatible.

7. Fix leaky faucets.8. Don't leave the water running while washing

dishes.9. Take showers rather than baths. Showers

generally use half as much hot water as baths. And install a low-flow showerhead. And take shorter showers. And shut off the shower while soaping, scrubbing, or shaving.

10. Shut off the faucet while brushing your teeth.11. Install a low-flow toilet.12. Install a rain barrel to reduce storm runoff and

to water your garden. www.rainbarrelguide.com

7e. Lighting : 1. Use ENERGY STAR-qualified compact

fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They use less than 25 percent of the electricity standard bulbs use and last 10 times longer. Look for color temp 2700K to provide similar light quality to incandescent. Recycle used CFL bulbs.

2. Consider light emitting diode (LED) lights for most possible savings. Available for under-cabinet kitchen lighting and a growing number of applications.

3. Turn off lights when not in a room. If family members won't turn off the lights, install motion sensors.

4. During the day, let daylight do the work and turn off lights near windows.

34 Riot 4 Austerity.

5. Install light tubes to increase natural lighting.6. Instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus

the light where you need it.7. Keep bulbs and fixtures clean.8. Replace light switches with dimmers or motion

sensors.9. Use bright lights only where you read or work.10. When you go away, use timers to turn your lights

on and off.11. Turn off outdoor lights. Choose lights with

dawn/dusk sensors. If you can, get lights powered by solar panels and batteries so that you don't have to install any electrical wires.

7f. Electronics:1. Don't watch television, or watch as little as

possible. Our flat screens are beautiful power-sucking monsters.

2. Get a smaller TV. Do your really need a 40 inch screen? Didn’t 19 or 21 inches work for most of our lives?

3. If buying a new TV, get an LCD.35

4. Turn off stereos and TVs with a power strip to avoid continuous power drain. In the average home, nearly 75% of all electricity used to power electronics is consumed by products that are switched off but still plugged in.

5. Unplug chargers (think cell phones and iPods) when not in use.36

6. Use a laptop instead of a desktop computer.37

7. Ensure your computer's power settings are enabled: set your computer to automatically hibernate and set your monitor to automatically sleep.

8. Turn off your monitor when you leave your computer for more than 20 minutes. Screen savers use electricity.

35 LCDs consume 30 to 40 percent less power than a plasma of similar size. 36 Only 5% of the power drawn by a cell phone charger is used to charge the phone. The other 95% is wasted when it is left plugged into the wall.37 A typical laptop, while plugged in, uses 50 watts of energy compared to the typical desktop system that uses about 270 watts (including the CPU and monitor), making a laptop 80% more efficient.

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9. Recycle your rechargeable batteries and old cell phones.  Go to Call 2 Recycle.

7g. Appliances :

1. Appliance over 15 years old should typically be retired.38

2. Choose ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances.39

3. Use the energy-saving setting for all appliances, particularly your refrigerator, air conditioner, washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher.

4. Clean and maintain appliances so they work efficiently.

7h. Refrigerator:1. If your refrigerator is old, think about replacing

it. Some older models may account for up to 50 percent of your monthly electricity bill.

2. Make sure your refrigerator is the right size for your needs.40

3. Don't keep that old, inefficient refrigerator running in the basement for occasional use.

4. Resist the temptation to overfill the refrigerator. Loosely stored food in the refrigerator allows air to circulate around it.

5. In the freezer, pack items tightly. If there's extra space, add bags of ice.

6. Set your refrigerator to 40 degrees, and freezer to 0 degrees.

7. Open the refrigerator and freezer doors only when necessary.

8. Check your refrigerator door's seal.

38 The good news is that about 80 percent of a refrigerator or a clothes washer is recyclable.39 Energy Star appliances use 10 to 15 percent less electricity than standard models. Look for the yellow EnergyGuide label to help you compare the efficiency of different major appliances. 40 Bigger isn’t better. Refrigerators with the freezer on either the bottom or top are much more efficient than those with the freezer to the side of the frig – even more so when through-the-door icemakers and water dispensers are included. These features will increase your refrigerator’s energy use by 14 percent to 20 percent. Bottom freezer models are the most efficient, using approximately 16 percent less energy than side-by-side models and 3 percent less than top freezer models.

9. Install your refrigerator away from the stove, radiator, heating duct, or direct sunlight, if possible.

10. Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.

11. Cover liquids in the refrigerator. Uncovered liquids make the refrigerator work harder.

7i. Cooking:

1. Use a microwave rather than an electric or gas oven as much as possible.41

2. For certain recipes that require long cooking times, use a Crock-Pot.

3. Use copper-bottom pots and pans. They heat up faster than regular pans.

4. When baking, preheat your oven no more than five to eight minutes.

5. When broiling or roasting, don't preheat your oven.

6. Don't open the oven door more than necessary. Every time you open the door, the oven loses 25 to 50 degrees.

7. Cook as much of your meal as possible at one time in the oven.

8. You can turn the oven temperature down 25 degrees when using glass or ceramic pans. The cooking time will remain the same.

9. Use the self-cleaning oven feature right after you've used the oven to cook a meal - while it's still hot. (But try not to use this feature too often.)

10. An electric kettle generates about half as much greenhouse gas as using a microwave oven or a cook top. Be careful not to boil more water than you need.

7j. Dishwasher:1. Run your dishwasher only when it's full.2. Don't run the dishwasher's dry cycle. Let your

dishes air dry, or put a towel to them.3. Turn down the water temperature on the

dishwasher to 120° F4. Use the energy-efficient setting if available.5. Pack your dishwasher efficiently.

41 Microwaves use less than half the power of traditional ovens. And up to 90 percent of the energy used by traditional ovens is wasted.

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6. Scrape dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. Don't rinse.42

7. Use the "soak" or "prewash" dishwasher setting only for burned-on or dried-on food.

7k. Laundry:

1. Use your clothes washer only when it is full. 2. Wash and rinse your clothes in cold water. 3. Straighten and clean the air ducts on your dryer. 4. Clean the lint filter in the clothes dryer before

each load. 5. Don't overdry your clothes.43

6. Better still, use a clothes line to dry. 7. More esoteric is a drying closet.  Washed, wet

clothing is hung in a closet acting also as the return air plenum to your home's ventilation system, and passively dried in the process.

7l. Yard:1. Plant deciduous trees that shade your home

during the summer. Or just plant a tree. And plant a sidewalk tree too. 

2. Check out Trees New York and  Million Trees NYC.

3. Utilize Xeriscaping.44

4. Use natural pesticides.5. Use a rake, not a leaf blower.6. Create a more porous exterior walkway,

driveway or yard to reduce storm-water runoff.7. Consider drip irrigation.8. Take your yard global. Adopt some rain forest.

Visit The Nature Conservancy's Adopt an Acre.

7m. Home Renovation:

If a renovation is in the cards, in addition to all suggestions above, consider:42 Rinsing dishes under running hot water before putting in dishwasher can use more hot water than the dishwasher itself.43 Except for towels, no more than 10-15 minutes drying is typically required.44 Xeriscaping is a comprehensive approach to landscaping for water conservation. Principles include: planning and selecting plants for your regional and microclimate. Limiting turf. Efficient irrigation and use of mulches.

1. Integrating natural cooling techniques such as operable skylights to vent hot air.

2. On-site renewable energy sources:3. Geothermal Heating and Cooling - see NY State

programs.4. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels - see more NY

State incentives.5. Solar Thermal Water Heating - see U.S. DOE info

on the subject.6. Wind Turbine Electric - see NY State programs.7. Reuse construction material and equipment.  See

Planet Reuse.8. For new millwork and cabinetry use wood

substrate that is urea- and formaldehyde-free.9. Flooring - consider certified woods, natural

linoleum, cork or bamboo.10. Maintain and re-use existing walls and building

components where possible11. Use low - VOC (volatile organic compounds)

sealants, adhesives, paints, coatings and carpets.12. Use green insulation materials: blown-in cellulose

and recycled denim.13. During construction, work with the contractor to

divert as much waste as possible from the landfill - many materials can be recycled or sold.

8.   Work: 1. Work at home.2. Telecommute.3. Ask your company to calculate its footprint.4. Ask your company to install bicycle racks and use

them.5. Find alternatives to traveling to a meeting:   use

the old-fashioned phone, use video and web conferencing software.  Meet virtually in Second Life.

6. Switch your company's electrical utility provider to green energy via Power Your Way.

7. Turn off the screen saver and let your computer sleep during the work day.

8. And turn off the computers at the end of the day.9. Send e-mails and electronic copies whenever

possible.10. Scan or print-to-pdf everything and store and send

as electronic files.   Make the paperless office a reality.

11. Invoice via email only and pay bills with a credit card or electronically directly from bank account.

12. Does it really need to get there absolutely, positively overnight?  Use the U.S. Postal Service.

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13. Need to ship something - consider carbon-balanced shipping.

14. Reduce paper usage.45 Use the Environmental Defense Fund's Paper Calculator.

15. Use 100% recycled paper.16. Preview your documents and proofread them

carefully before you print17. Print only the necessary information.18. Copy reports and memos double-sided.19. Circulate, don't copy, paperwork.20. Reuse tubes and envelopes for mailing.21. Recycle scrap paper.22. Use a laptop in lieu of a desktop.

23. Add greenery - houseplants can remove toxins from indoor air.46

24. Use a mug at work - not paper or Styrofoam cups.  And no disposable stirrers.

25. Use silverware and plates.26. Drink less coffee.27. No bottled water - drink tap water.28. Talk and share.  Start an electronic bulletin

board where carbon-reducing  ideas can be posted.

29. Have your company consider purchasing carbon offsets to balance its footprint.

30. Check out ClimateBiz, a green resource for businesses.

9.   School: 1. Join the Green School Initiative.2. Encourage your school to switch to green

power via Power Your Way.3. Install solar PV panels at your school with state

incentives via School Power Naturally.4. Establish an eco-committee and adopt an

environmental vision statement5. Do an energy audit.6. Make an action plan and monitor progress.7. Integrate greening into the curriculum.8. Rally kids to the cause! (If they haven't already

been rallying you...)

45 The average American consumes more than 700 pounds of paper a year.46 Spider plants and Peace Lilies can remove carbon monoxide, and Ficus and Aloe Vera the formaldehyde or adhesives found in furnishings.

9. Organize events to encourage energy auditing and energy savings - make a friendly competition.

10. Organize fundraisers to raise awareness and consider buying carbon offsets for the school.

11. Copy bulletins and exams on both sides.12. Make notes and drafts on scrap paper.13. Reuse textbooks and school supplies.14. In college buy used textbooks and sell them back

when you're done.15. Buy school supplies with high recycled content.16. In cafeterias, use non-disposable trays, dishes, and

silverware.17. Make sure your school recycles.18. Seek out a food donation program for your school

instead of discarding unused cafeteria food.19. Compost cafeteria vegetable waste.20. Get kids a water bottle.21. Prepare waste-free lunches with a reusable lunch

bag. Avoid faddish or super cute designs that will age badly.

22. Carpool. Stuff the neighborhood's kids in the minivan/crossover, and resume your own low-carbon walking or public transport routine at least a few days a week.

23. Are they old enough to walk or bike to school?24. In college live on campus and walk.

10.   Renovation/Construction:

Residential and Commercial buildings consume 40% of energy contributing to climate change.   And of that, over 90% is consumed in the operations of the building:  lighting, heating, cooling, equipment etc...  So unless one tackles operational efficiency seriously, it won't matter how much "green materials" are installed in the building - it will be an energy disaster.

10.1 Renovation

1.  Items coming soon...

10.2 New Construction

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1.  Items coming soon...

11.   Calculate Your Footprint:

Now that you've made a serious effort to reduce, measure your carbon footprint and find out where you stand.  There are many carbon footprint calculators available on the internet.  A selection:

1. EPA's Household Emissions Calculator.2. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's

Home Energy Saver.3. U. Cal at Berkeley, The Berkeley Institute of

the Environment's CoolClimate Carbon Footprint Calculator for almost everything.  Maybe the best.

4. The Nature Conservancy's Carbon Footprint Calculator.

5. Terra Pass' Carbon Footprint Calculator for car, air travel and home.

12.   Consider Carbon Offsets:

Carbon offsets have been called a sin tax, compared to Catholic indulgences or paying for a war substitute. But carbon offsets are meant to be used only as a supplement, not a substitute. Choose carefully, and carbon offsets will genuinely reduce emissions.

As a gesture toward neutralizing your remaining footprint consider buying offsets.  Well regarded U.S.-based companies and organizations that provide carbon offsets:

1. CarbonFund .2. Climate Trust .3. Native Energy .4. TerraPass .

13.0 Conclusion:

Hooray! You've gotten down to zero - in a manner of speaking anyway.

But let's be honest, while you've made good progress, there's much more to do.  Change incrementally - it will insure greater long-term success.

So the last step is to go back to the beginning. Work toward more reduction and fewer offsets.

Consume less, share more, live simply.

13.1 Epilogue (get political):

1. Copy and distribute this checklist. Download it.2. Talk to neighbors about how to make the

neighborhood greener.3. Join groups of folks working together to reduce: 

EcoMom Alliance.4. Join a Carbon Rationing Action Group (CRAG).  5. Use internet sites that help you reduce your carbon

footprint and have fun doing it.  Check out  Make Me Sustainable and  Carbon Rally.

6. Get political - join and support organizations fighting to stop climate change:  1Sky,  Environmental Defense Fund, Greenpeace, Natural Resources Defense Council and the World Wildlife Fund to name a few possibilities.

7. Lobby for green building codes. Architecture 2030, Efficiency First.

8. Talk to skeptical family members, friends and neighbors. Be patient and listen, but explain, explain, explain.  For skeptic arguments and responses see Grist's How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic.  An appropriate take-down of skeptic opinion makers: see Chapter 2, "The Denial Industry" in the book Heat, How to Stop the Planet From Burning by George Monbiot, 2006.

About the Checklist:

The checklist is a step-by-step guide to comprehensively reducing your carbon footprint now. It's a cut-and-paste job, compiled by Ken Levenson.

It is hoped that people will download the checklist, copy it, edit it for their local conditions, and make it their own.

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Sensing many want to start fighting climate change, yet aren’t sure what the options are - a Park Slope Civic Council forum on sustainability provided the deadline to make the initial checklist.

Launched in February 2008, the checklist was fine-tuned with the help of many. To acknowledge a few: Eric McClure's proofreading/editing, Ellen Honigstock's springboard of initial sustainability lists, and my wife Katherine's essential support.

Ken Levenson is a principal in Levenson McDavid Architects P.C., and a concerned father, living in Brooklyn.

The website header picture is of our eldest daughter - and I'm hoping we can ensure she's walking toward a better future.  Let's get to zero now.

Checklist Sources:

Books -

The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices, Practical Advice from The Union of Concerned Scientists, by Michael Brower and Warren Leon, 1999Garbage Land , On the Secret Trail of Trash , by Elizabeth Royte, 2005Global Warming, The Causes, The Perils, The Solutions, The Actions: 51 Things You Can Do Edited by Kelly Knauer, Time Inc., 2007The Green Book, by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen, 2007Green Living, The E Magazine Handbook for Living Lightly on The Earth, by the editors of E, 2005Heat, How to Stop The Planet From Burning, by George Monbiot, 2006Living Like Ed, A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life, by Ed Begley, Jr., 2008

The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, by David de Rothschild, 2007

Reports -

Cool Farming: Climate impacts of agriculture and mitigation potential, by Jessica Bellarby et al., Greenpeace, 2008The Case for Investing in Energy Productivity, McKinsey Global Institute, February 2008

Newspaper and Magazine Articles –

Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat, by Elisabeth Rosenthal, New York Times, Feb 8, 2008Ethical investing: Funds that favor planet savers, by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, Christian Science Monitor, Feb 25, 2008For ‘EcoMoms,' Saving Earth Begins at Home, by Patricia Leigh Brown, New York Times, Feb 16, 2008

Websites -

The Alliance for Climate Protection.Alliance to Save Energy.Australian Government, Department of Climate Change.Berkeley Lab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.Brighter PlanetCalifornia Energy Commission - Consumer Energy Center.ConEdison.Earth Lab.Ellen Honigstock Architect P.C. , Brooklyn Green.Energy Star.Green School Initiative.The Nature Conservancy.New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.Stockholm Environment Institute's Carbon Offset Research & Education.Riot 4 Austerity.TerraPass.U.S. Dept of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Webopedia.com.

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Climate Change 101 – a reading list for everyone:

Climate science data and analysis are evolving fast. Here's a short list of books, reports and websites where you can get a snapshot of where things stand.

The Basic Scientific Understanding:

Basic Fossil Fuel Facts - an indispensable condensed explanation - at the end of a letter addressed to Governor Gibbons of Nevada by Jim Hansen. (The facts starts on page 5 - the letter is very good too.)Climate Code Red: The case for a sustainability emergency - a great summary of the science up to the start of 2008, giving the crisis the urgency it deserves.Understanding and Attributing Climate Change - IPCC makes the case. (See also Dire Predictions in Books below.)

Detecting and Attributing External Influences on the Climate System: A Review of Recent Advances - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.Assessing key vulnerabilities and the risk from climate change - the IPCC's take on what's at stake.The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity, Executive Summary - U.S. Dept of Agriculture

The Science Behind the Science and Why it can be trusted:Scientists Explain How They Attribute Climate-Change Data - A Wall Street Journal article shows why the science can be trusted.Models 'key to climate forecasts' - BBC examines one of our most powerfuls tool in understanding climate change.

Addressing Doubt:Climate change: A guide for the perplexed - a great "round-up of the most common climate myths and misconceptions".Skeptical Science: Examining the science of global warming skepticismHow to Talk to a Global Warming Sceptic - and stop them in their tracks.How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic - Grist's rundown is great help too.The Denial Industry - George Monbiot's eye opening account of the origin of the concerted network opposing legitimate climate science. Think Big Tobacco.

Best Global Warming Blogs:Climate ProgressReal ClimateGristmill

Related Websites:Climatic Research UnitMET Office – U.K. Center on Climate ChangeJim HansenIntergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Snow and Ice Data CenterClimate ArkNASA Goddard Institute for Space StudiesUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Books:

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With Speed and Violence: Why Scientists Fear Tipping Points in Climate Change by Fred Pearce - The best A to Z treatment I've read.Dire Predictions - Understanding Global Warming by Michael E. Mann and Lee R. Kump - The best explanation of the IPCC findings anywhere.Hell and High Water: Global Warming--the Solution and the Politics--and What We Should Do by Joseph RommThe Discovery of Global Warming by Spencer R. WeartCensoring Science: Inside the Political Attack on Dr. James Hansen and the Surprising Truth About Global Warming by Mark BowenHeat: How to Stop the Planet from Burning by George Monbiot, Matthew PrescottThe Atlas of Climate Change: Mapping the World's Greatest Challenge by Kristin Dow, Thomas E. DowningThe Revenge of Gaia: Earth's Climate Crisis and the Fate of Humanity by James Lovelock, Crispin Tickell

And Now Action:Okay, enough reading! Armed with the facts, go out and fight for our children's future - change our personal, political and public lives. A comprehensive place to start is with the checklist. Download it, edit it, make it your own, and pass it on.