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How can we best reduce the amount of trash going into our landfills?

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How can we limit deforestation and yet have enough agricultural land to feed our growing populations?

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How might we increase our supply of electricity while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and acid rain?

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How can we continue to harvest the bounty of the sea without depleting resources?

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How can we protect the arctic habitat of polar bears from climate change?

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How can we balance our transportation needs with a desire to maintain delicate ecosystems?

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Is the author of the source an expert? Is the information up to date? Is the purpose of the source to inform and not to sell? Are there many facts and details rather than opinions? Does the domain end with one of the following: .edu, .gov, or .org

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1. Use a reusable bottle/cup for beverages on-the-go

You might already have a reusable water bottle, but do you use it all the time? You can put that reusable bottle to use, save money and reduce waste. By taking your own water with you, you'll also reduce your chances of purchasing more expensive beverages on-the-go. This will eliminate the one-time use containers they come in. While most cans and bottles can be recycled, they require a lot of energy to be produced, shipped to the bottling facility and then to the store for purchase.

2. Use reusable grocery bags, and not just for groceries

Just like a reusable water bottle, you may already have a reusable grocery bag, though it's often forgotten at home. Try writing BAGS on the top of your grocery list to help you remember, or keep them in the back seat where they aren't as easy to forget. Many grocery stores will provide a 5 cent per bag refund so you'll save a few cents while reducing your usage of one-time-use plastic bags.

3. Purchase wisely and recycle

You can reduce the amount of waste you produce by purchasing products that come with less packaging and/or come in packaging that can be recycled. Not all plastics are recyclable in Delaware, so check labels before your buy. According to Delaware's Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances, "Containers labeled with a 1 or a 2 are almost always accepted because they are the highest value resins. Resins 4, 5 and 7 are now accepted in most programs in Delaware." Plastics labeled with a 3/PVC and 6/PS are generally not recyclable in Delaware. Learn more about recycling programs in your area for specifics.

4. Compost it!

Did you know as much as 25% of the items in your trash could potentially be removed from the waste stream and composted in your back yard? Your fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, grass clippings and leaves can all be composted. While composting requires more effort than the previously mentioned lifestyle changes, it will provide you with a beneficial return on your investment of time and effort. Depending on the conditions, you may have compost in 3 to 12 months to use in your garden. You'll save on fertilizers and if you grow your own vegetables, you'll likely see improved yields. The organic matter will also act as a sponge to absorb more water, meaning you might not need to water your plants as much, saving you money and time.

5. Avoid single-use food and drink containers and utensils

Whenever possible, try to avoid single-use coffee cups, disposable utensils, straws and napkins. Some businesses will even give you a discount on your coffee for bringing your own mug. Keep a set of silverware at work along with a plate, bowl and cup that you can wash and reuse. Skip the plastic straw altogether or buy reusable metal ones instead. Remember, a lot of these items are made from plastic, had to be delivered by a truck and will end up in a landfill once we have used them one time. Anything we can do to reduce our use of these products adds up to make a big impact.

6. Buy secondhand items and donate used goods

Before you go buy something new, consider buying it used which can also save you lots of money. That can mean buying secondhand clothes at Goodwill, used furniture and repurposed construction materials at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore or searching Craigslist for a deal on a bicycle. By purchasing secondhand items you'll be supporting local charities in addition to saving items from ending up in the dump.

7. Shop local farmers markets and buy in bulk to reduce packaging

Shopping at your local farmers market is a win-win. First, you'll be supporting local farmers while also getting fresher ingredients than you might find in the big-box grocery store. Food produced locally doesn't have to be shipped as far or refrigerated in transit. Local farmers often rely on less packaging and many are happy to have you return last week's berry basket or egg carton for use next week. You can also majorly reduce packaging waste by shopping at stores that sell food in bulk, but you'll need to come prepared with your own containers.

8. Curb your use of paper: mail, receipts, magazines

In today's digital world, most companies offer bills by email, and some even offer incentives to do so. More stores are offering e-receipts, too, which are great because they're harder to lose if you need to make a return. Consider digital subscriptions for your favorite magazines that you can read on your tablet or computer. Digital subscriptions are often a little cheaper than the hard-copy version, as well.

There are numerous companies that allow you opt out of their marketing mailings; we like the options offered at www.ecocycle.org/junkmail. If you get an unwanted weekly packet of grocery store circulars in your mailbox, talk to your mail carrier and they will stop delivering it.

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Learn how you can make small changes that are eco-friendly and will have a lasting impact.

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A wide range of strategies are available to help organizations reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Below are a list of resources and guides to help your organization identify and implement GHG reduction opportunities.

On this page

Energy Efficiency

U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR Program: Through its partnerships with more than 15,000 private and public sector organizations, ENERGY STAR delivers the technical information and tools that organizations and consumers need to choose energy-efficient solutions and best management practices.

Buildings & Plants: ENERGY STAR certifies top performing commercial buildings and manufacturing plants and provides an innovative energy performance rating system which businesses have already used for more than 96,000 buildings across the country. ENERGY STAR's Portfolio Manager is an online tool to measure and track energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Use it to benchmark the performance of one building or across an organization's entire portfolio of buildings.

Small Businesses: ENERGY STAR offers tools and resources to help small businesses improve their financial performance by reducing energy waste and energy costs.

Products: ENERGY STAR certifies products in more than 70 categories that use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment.

ENERGY STAR tips to save energy at work.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provides a variety of programs that identify opportunities for integrating energy-efficiency measures into your facility.

Buildings Performance Database (BPD) unlocks the power of building energy performance data. The platform enables users to perform statistical analysis on an anonymous dataset of tens of thousands of commercial and residential buildings from across the country. Users can compare performance trends among similar buildings to identify and prioritize cost-saving energy efficiency improvements and assess the range of likely savings from these improvements.

Standard Energy Efficiency Data (SEED) platform is a software tool that provides a standardized format for collecting, storing, and analyzing building energy performance information about large portfolios. The platform provides an easy, flexible, and cost effective method to analyze data about large portfolios of buildings and demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency.

U.S. EPA's Combined Heat and Power Partnership (CHP) promotes the use of combined heat and power (CHP) to reduce the environmental impacts of power generation, increase your facility's operational efficiency, and decrease energy costs. The Partnership works closely with energy users, the CHP industry, state and local governments, and other clean energy stakeholders to facilitate the development of new projects and to promote their environmental and economic benefits.

CHP Project Development Handbook provides information, tools, and hints on combined heat and power (CHP) project development, CHP technologies, and the resources of the EPA CHP Partnership.

U.S. EPA's State and Local Climate and Energy Program helps state, local, and tribal governments develop policies and programs that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy costs, improve air quality and public health, and help achieve economic development goals. EPA provides proven, cost-effective best practices, peer exchange opportunities, and analytical tools.

Renewable Energy

U.S. EPA's Green Power Partnership (GPP) is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to use green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use. The Partnership currently has more than 1,300 Partner organizations voluntarily using billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually. GPP supports the organizational procurement of green power by offering expert advice, technical support, tools, and resources. Green power is electricity produced from a subset of renewable resources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and low-impact hydro. Partnering with EPA can help your organization reduce its carbon footprint and communicate its leadership to key stakeholders.

Guide to Purchasing Green Power provides current and potential buyers of green power with information about green power purchasing, including different types of green power products, the benefits of green power purchasing, and how to capture the greatest benefit from your purchase. The Guide is the product of a cooperative effort between the EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the World Resources Institute, and the Center for Resource Solutions.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Innovations in Voluntary Renewable Energy Procurement: Methods for Expanding Access and Lowering Cost for Communities, Governments, and Businesses (pdf) explores five innovative options for voluntarily procuring renewable energy generation or systems. These methods can be replicated by a variety of stakeholders-including local governments, not-for-profit organizations, businesses, and utilities.

Supply Chain

U.S. EPA's Green Suppliers Network works with large manufacturers to engage their suppliers in low-cost technical reviews to identify strategies for improving process lines, using materials more efficiently, and reducing waste. Working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC) National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the Green Suppliers Network helps small and medium-sized manufacturers stay competitive and profitable while reducing their impact on the environment.

Managing Supply Chain Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Lessons Learned for the Road Ahead (pdf) highlights lessons learned by early movers that engaged their suppliers in GHG management.

Additional resources listed on The Center's Supply Chain webpage.

Waste Reduction and Diversion Strategies

U.S. EPA's Resources for Waste Reduction and Recycling provides resources related to waste reduction and recycling in the workplace, including guidance on starting or expanding a recycling collection program, initiatives to reduce everyday trash, and frameworks for food recovery programs.

U.S. EPA's WaterSense program partners with manufacturers, retailers and distributors, and utilities to bring WaterSense labeled products to the marketplace and make it easy to purchase high-performing, water-efficient products. WaterSense also partners with professional certifying organizations to promote water-efficient landscape irrigation practices.

Reduce Methane Emissions

U.S. EPA's AgSTAR program promotes the use of biogas recovery systems to reduce methane emissions from livestock waste. AgSTAR assists those who enable, purchase, or implement anaerobic digesters by identifying project benefits, risks, options, and opportunities. AgSTAR provides information and participates in events to create a supporting environment for anaerobic digester implementation.

U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) promotes the use of landfill gas as a renewable, green energy source. Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills and is comprised primarily of carbon dioxide and methane. LMOP forms partnerships with communities, landfill owners, utilities, power marketers, states, project developers, tribes, and non-profit organizations to overcome barriers to project development by helping them assess project feasibility, find financing, and market the benefits of project development to the community.

U.S. EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program provides a framework for companies with U.S. oil and gas operations to implement methane reducing technologies and practices and document their voluntary emission reduction activities.

U.S. EPA's Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program recognizes oil and natural gas companies that make specific and transparent commitments to reduce methane emissions.

Increase Fuel Efficiency in Transportation and Logistics

U.S. EPA's SmartWay is a public/private collaboration between EPA and the freight transportation industry that helps freight shippers, carriers, and logistics companies improve fuel-efficiency and save money. Acquiring U.S. EPA Certified SmartWay light-duty vehicles can help improve the overall fuel economy performance of a light-duty fleet.

Additional Resources

The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support and recognize leadership procurement.

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GHG Reduction Programs & Strategies | US EPA

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A wide range of strategies are available to help organizations reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Below are a list of resources and guides to help your organization identify and implement GHG reduction opportunities. U.S.