If you are thinking about changing your heating system, your best option is a high-efficiency natural gas furnace. Efficiencies of between 85 and 95 per cent can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,250 kilograms a year, compared with a conventional furnace that emits 6,100 kilograms of carbon dioxide. Always ensure that your air conditioner is in good repair and that all coolant is captured. A better way to cool your home is to use ceiling fans and to plant trees around your house. Strategically planting trees so that evergreens act as wind breaks in winter and leafy trees provide shade in summer can reduce the energy needed to heat and cool your home.
Trees also create habitat for birds and provide shade for children playing outside.
Get your lawn and garden off drugs Fertilizers are made from fossil fuels, and release nitrous oxide into the air. Nitrous oxide is another powerful greenhouse gas causing climate change. Keeping lawns trimmed also uses energy. In fact, gasoline-powered lawnmowers are one of the most polluting devices around, contributing to climate change and smog as well. Landscaping with the environment in mind means planting lots of perennials and shrubs and minimizing the use of grass and sod.