Reducing Your Environmental Footprint
Green Living Quantified is dedicated to measuring the greenhouse impact of our actions and providing information (real numbers) about the actions you may take, to benefit you and reduce greenhouse gases. This site answers questions like: how many tons of greenhouse gas can you reduce by performing home energy efficiency … or buying a particular car … or modifying your diet … or planting a tree … or flying on vacation? Since you do not know how you are doing unless you measure, we provide a method to calculate your greenhouse gases – and measure the difference after your upgrade. However, it is not necessary to measure, since we provide estimates on the impact of various actions – with personal benefits you may see.
Fits Your Lifestyle: Any environmental actions must fit your budget, time allocation and lifestyle. Each improvement category includes a table that estimates impact level, costs and time requirements.
Personal Benefits: Some green-living actions can help to lower utility costs, reduce allergies, improve health, and/or make homes more affordable, comfortable and resilient. You can also take a quiz to determine which side benefits might be most useful for you to prioritize. See Explore Benefits below the table.
| Area | Startup Costs W=Amount of Work | Personal Benefits | |
| Home Energy Efficiency | $-$$$$ W-WW | Lower long-term costs. Make home more comfortable. Health: reduce dust, allergens | |
| Electricity | 1/2 – 3+tons/appliance | $$-$$$ W | Lower long-term costs. Health: reduce asthma, allergies with electric appliances (e.g., oven) |
| Diet | 2+ tons/person Healthier top soil Sequester carbon in soils | $-$$ W | Health: Reduce % and level of many diseases. Reduce allergies (with organic). May lower costs. |
| Transportation | 2-3+ tons/year 1+ ton/trip | $$$-$$$$$ W | Lower long-term fuel costs. |
| Gardening | Support native animals Reduce erosion Reduce pollution in air, water, land Sequester carbon in soils: Kg/tree | $-$$ W-WWW | Produce food Reduce home flooding Make home more attractive Fun Hobby |
Explore Benefits
Are you interested in traveling on vacation but concerned about your impact? See Transportation (Public).
Would you like to lower housing costs? Cold and/or hot outdoor environments benefit from Energy Efficiency projects, including sealing home envelope, adding insulation, programming the home thermostat and/or upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace/HVAC. (This is particularly true for older or lower-cost homes.) Long term, evaluating Electricity and using energy efficient appliances can reduce costs. Adding trees or bushes in the right places can reduce summer heat, make the home more attractive, increase home value, and reduce flooding (within Gardening).
Does your house flood? Long term, big bushes and/or trees can help the ground absorb water better (within Gardening) and reduce related health issues.
Are you interested in gardening, but have little time? Consider perennial plants that do not require planting every year: trees, bushes, perennial vegetables and native plants (within Gardening).
Do you have allergies or asthma? Consider an electric stove (within Electricity) and healthy organics (within Diet). Or consider getting a home energy auditor who can check for mold or make recommendations to reduce dust and sinus problems (within Home Efficiency).
Are you overweight, paying a lot for medical prescriptions, or suffering from poor health (e.g., cancer, diabetes, inflammation?) See the low-impact plant-based and organic sections (within Diet) to improve your health.
Are you having trouble paying transportation fuel bills? See discussions on e-bikes, and hybrid (and possibly electric) automotive vehicles (within Transportation – Personal).
Do your friends and relatives live far away, requiring lots of costly transportation? Sign up for a zoom account to talk to them frequently and cheaply.