Households Fight Climate Change

March 26, 2019

This guest blog is courtesy of Greenmatch.

Lowering the Domestic Energy Consumption

Recent data from the UK government has shown that global thinking and local action go hand in hand in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The UK is leading the way in slowing down climate change with the help of domestic households - a strategy that is equally applicable in the US.

In the UK, the current amount of electricity generated per person is the lowest since 1984, which has been a key factor in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This decrease has largely been thanks to the use of renewable energy, such as solar panels and domestic heat pumps.

Domestic households in the US up to 21.1% of the total energy consumption and account for 11% of the total GHG emissions. Although this percentage may seem low, we can see from the UK’s progress in reducing GHG emissions that domestic households can tremendously help slow down climate change.

Climate Goals for Reducing GHG Emissions by 2030

The UK’s Committee on Climate Change has set specific goals for 2030, where their main aim is to reduce GHG emissions in the UK by 57%. When comparing to 1990 levels, the UK’s GHG emissions have been reduced by 43% already.

It is reasonable to expect domestic households to help achieve these climate goals, as they are the second largest energy consumer in the UK. The infographic below presents an overview of the UK’s progress towards their climate goals.

How Homeowners Can Help Slow Down Climate Change

A key factor to help reduce GHG emissions is to be more aware of our consumption behavior and how this affects the environment. For example, a woolen piece of clothing may have contributed to the same amount of carbon emissions as an entire month of electricity for your home.

Reducing your meat consumption, could have a huge global impact on GHG emissions. Studies indicate that by switching to a vegan diet, you could reduce your dietary carbon footprint by up to 73%. Although this might be too big of a change for many, simply eliminating lamb and beef from your diet could already make a tremendous contribution, since these production processes cause the highest amount of emissions.

Energy efficient appliances can be a great solution for reducing your energy usage. Home insulation or low-carbon heating, for example, will help to reduce your carbon footprint and will thereby lower your energy bills, too.

Another important factor – at least, when you are a frequent flyer – is to travel by train or to simply travel less often by plane. In Europe, a train journey can release around 90% less CO2 than when travelling by plane.

Additionally, in case you travel by car quite frequently, try to drive shorter distances, and consider transferring to an electric vehicle instead. Even though electric vehicles are fueled by gas or coal, their high efficiency will still help to reduce your carbon footprint in the long run.

Last but definitely not least, the most environmentally-friendly, renewable energy source is solar energy. Solar panels don’t produce any GHG emissions and thereby do not only have huge benefits for the environment, but they also lower your electricity bills!

The six most common ways in which households can help reduce GHG emissions are highlighted in the infographic below.

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Maryland webinar gives tips on countering misinformation

By Antoinette Smith • April 1, 2025

In recent years, the recycling industry has seen negative media coverage that has not only perpetuated myths but also contributed to public mistrust of collection and recycling – and ultimately could be contributing to lower collection rates. To help counteract the misinformation, the Maryland Recycling Network presented a March 27 webinar featuring Gretchen Carey, president at MassRecycle, and Chaz Miller of Miller Recycling Associates. Misinformation about recycling was merely “background noise” to Carey until October 2022, when Greenpeace published a scathing report about the failings of plastic recycling. Soon NPR and The Boston Globe picked up the story and compounded the issue with statements like “not even plastic water bottles are recyclable,” Carey said, calling this “a patent lie.” Carey and her colleagues were “crushed,” but after overcoming her initial anger, she reached out to NPR and the Globe to rebut the story. She also tried to get other local publications to publish her written response to the negative coverage but was rebuffed. Seeing that these efforts weren’t going far, MassRecycle invited members of the media and the general public on MRF tours at several sites in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Providing real-time evidence of recycling infrastructure helped industry outsiders step out of the echo chamber and hear a contrasting perspective, Carey said in the webinar. “You can talk the game, but them seeing for themselves is the important part,” she explained. During the tours, the public attendees learned that throwing away recyclables deprives the community of valuable commodities, she said, and that state guidelines restrict what can be put in the landfill. Carey added that the tours brought home the message by explaining that recycled materials need a consistent end market to justify collection and processing. For example, Ardagh closed its glass bottling facility in Massachusetts in 2018. The closure eliminated a key end market for recycled glass and caused collector Strategic Materials to stop taking local recovered glass. Local MRFs subsequently lost that revenue stream. When residents don’t trust recycling infrastructure, they put fewer items in their curbside bins, and ultimately paper, metals and glass wind up as collateral damage, Miller said. So it’s vital to make sure the public knows where their recyclables and that end markets exist to use these materials. Read the full article.

City of Laurel

By Sophie Leone • March 26, 2025

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