An impressive 78% of consumers in the U.S. say that having a sustainable lifestyle is important to them — but for many, turning that desire into action can often feel easier said than done.
Fortunately, as Jeff Rodgers, CMO of Indra Energy, a provider of renewable energy plans, explains, there are several simple actions everyday Americans can take to champion sustainable power in their lives and communities.
Make Energy-Saving Home Improvements
“The amount of energy we use at home is a key part of our overall sustainability,” Rodgers explains. “Quite often, residential homes are far less energy efficient than they should be due to air leaks around doors and windows, inadequate insulation or poor performing HVAC systems or water heaters. Over the course of the year, the amount of energy that can be wasted because of these inefficiencies can really add up in terms of both your carbon footprint and your energy costs.”
To that end, Rodgers advises that homeowners make targeted improvements to their home with energy sustainability in mind. Sealing doors and windows is typically one of the quickest and least expensive fixes. Depending on the age of the home, replacing windows and upgrading the HVAC system may also be necessary. Sealing air duct leaks and ensuring adequate attic insulation can also prevent energy waste.
Switch to Renewable Power Sources
Unsurprisingly, Rodgers also notes that sustainability-minded consumers should try to switch to renewable sources of energy for powering their home. While most people automatically assume this means putting solar panels up on the roof, Rodgers notes there are alternative solutions as well.
“Our program supplies energy to consumers through renewable energy certificates,” he says. “Essentially, the household’s energy usage is paired with renewable energy certificates that are generated from energy sources like solar or wind within the United States. Natural gas usage is matched with carbon offsets. This allows households to offset their energy consumption and utilize sustainable power when options like installing solar panels aren’t available.”
Be Conscious About Household Energy Use
Even with household improvements and a switch to renewable power sources, Rodgers says that consumers still have the responsibility to be mindful of their household energy use.
“Cutting down your household energy usage will lower your carbon footprint and your monthly utility costs — and a lot of the ways you can do this are surprisingly simple,” he says. “For example, you can switch to LED bulbs, which use less energy than incandescent light bulbs. Unplugging electronics when you aren’t using them stops phantom energy usage. You can also reduce household energy use by switching to a smart thermostat, taking shorter showers or even remembering to turn off the lights when you exit a room.”
While many of these steps seem small, these daily actions are key in turning sustainability into a habit that has a lasting influence on your lifestyle and budget.
Buy From Sustainable Brands
Championing sustainable power doesn’t just occur in how you use gas or electricity at home. Consumers can make a conscious choice in championing sustainability by buying from brands that are also striving to use sustainable energy and other related practices in their own work.
For example, a Harvard Business Review case study highlights how the grocery chain Publix sent over 54 million pounds of food waste to be turned into animal feed, while also taking steps to reduce its annual plastic waste by 360,000 pounds. Consumers who actively research the brands they buy from and then make purchasing choices accordingly can have an even greater impact.
Minimize Food Waste
At first glance, minimizing food waste may not seem like a way to champion sustainable power — but Rodgers notes that what and how we eat can have a bigger impact than expected.
“Growing, harvesting and transporting food all requires significant energy consumption — and when we let that food go to waste, it’s essentially a way of wasting the energy that went into that food production,” he explains. “Food waste that ends up in landfills also produces methane as it decomposes. In addition to buying food from sustainable producers, everyday Americans can champion energy sustainability by being more mindful about what they buy — only buying what they will actually eat, and storing and eating leftovers.”
As with reducing household energy use, this requires proactively changing habits, but over time, this can help with both reducing your carbon footprint and your day to day expenses.
Reduce Car Trips
One final tip for championing sustainable energy use is to reduce the number of car trips you take. According to the Department of Energy, nearly 60% of car trips in the U.S. are less than six miles — meaning that a lot of people take frequent, short trips that could have been taken by bike or on foot.
Combining car outings or choosing alternative forms of transportation for short trips can significantly reduce fuel expenses and carbon emissions, and could even help you become healthier as you engage in more physical activity.
Many Ways to Champion Sustainable Power
As Rodgers’s insights reveal, there are many ways that everyday Americans can champion sustainable power and other sustainability practices. You could consider incorporating these steps into your life one at a time, making gradual improvements until sustainability becomes second nature. As you become more conscious and proactive in your efforts to promote sustainability, you will start to have the type of impact you desire.
