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MY Family Footprint

Many students using our footprint calculator said that they could not pledge to reduce their home footprints because they were not making the decisions for the household. Here is your chance to design your own sustainable virtual household!

If you had your own home, what would you do to make it more energy efficient? Where would you get your electricity from? Where would your house be? Would you live near to your school or work or local transit options? Where would you get your food from?




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MY Family Footprint

Recent posts:

NateHooper   2025-09-24 11:42:17 (Last post: Today 08:29:54)
travel less

While I am under average in almost everything I am wildly over in the travel section and should probably cut down on that

HuckSharaf   2025-09-24 11:48:20

Me too, i think that it might be from when i went on trips for fun over summer break. I could cut back on these to reduce my footprint.

Evangeline   2025-09-28 22:38:42

I was also wayyyy over the transportation section and that's the only section I really need to improve more on

camcameron2525   2025-10-01 10:09:55

Me too, i flew way too much this year which really contributes to travel.

mindy044   2026-09-25 10:31:46

I am quite the opposite because I rarely ever take flights for trips. Driving, yes, but if I were to fly more my carbon footprint would skyrocket.

Ep616   2026-09-25 12:13:02

Maybe its not that we should travel less, just less by car and airplanes.

dodge555   Today 08:29:54

use more public transport and/or carpool.

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violetschlameus   2026-09-27 22:11:30
lightbulbs

If my family has and uses less lightbulbs, it could decrease our carbon impact.

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willagrandin   2026-09-27 12:12:16
my family footprint

travel less or go on planes less

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Noah_Branham08   2026-01-12 07:22:24 (Last post: 2026-09-25 10:26:09)
Showers

How much do my long showers affect the environment and my footprint?

coolboywill   2026-09-24 10:51:18

I take hour long showers every day personally and don't see any problem with that.

islaK2026   2026-09-24 10:52:19

jesus christ that wastes so much water, try to shorten it

mccormcam   2026-09-24 10:53:09

I am not totally sure I think it wastes energy especially for heating hot showers.

islaK2026   2026-09-24 10:54:44

you can save a ton of water even by shortening it by 10 minutes

Ella20   2026-09-24 20:27:43

Heating water uses most of the time gas.   
When burned it emits CO2 which traps heat. The most you should take is probably 10 minutes or less.

zombie987   2026-09-25 10:20:16

Hour long showers will use alot of water and electricity/gas, try setting a goal for shorter showers

mindy044   2026-09-25 10:26:09

I think 10-15 minute showers are the most reasonable. Taking up to 1 hour long showers is not the greatest idea because it wastes water and emits a lot more CO2 then you think.

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eyvi   2026-04-26 11:07:01 (Last post: 2026-04-28 13:56:27)
Improved home

If I hade my own home, I would make it as energy efficient as possible by using good insulation, LED lights, and energy-saving appliances. My house would use electricity from renewable sources like geothermal and hydropower, and I would consider adding solar panels if possible. I would live close to school or work so I could walk, bike, or use public transportation instead of driving often.

I would also try to reduce waste by recycling, using less water, and choosing durable products instead of buying unnecessary things. For food, I would buy as much as possible from local farmers and choose seasonal foods to reduce emissions from transport. My home would ideally be in a community with good public transit and green spaces, making it easier to live sustainably every day.

mihianau   2026-04-27 20:47:11

Okay, i think that your comment has some good intention about the environment, but at the same time, it looks like too perfect and not really doable. Because, is not everyone that can be buy himself some solar panels or have the choice to live near by school or work.
But i agree with some ideas that are common, like recycling, or buying local.

heremiti   2026-04-28 13:56:27

I think your ideas are really good and show that you want to reduce your carbon footprint, especially with renewable energy and reducing waste. However, even if these are good intentions, it does not always mean it is the best solution. For example, building solar panels or other technologies requires materials and energy, which also creates pollution. So in some cases, it can have a negative impact before becoming beneficial.

Moreover, not everyone can afford to buy energy-efficient appliances or install solar panels, because it can be very expensive. In the same way, living close to school or work is not always possible for everyone, depending on where they live or their situation.

So I think your ideas are interesting, but in reality, it can be more complicated to apply them in everyday life, and small actions, like the ones I try to do, can also make a difference.

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Ingimar   2026-04-26 04:12:41
better home

I would live in South France, where the sun is shining. I would use regular electricity, but I would also try to use solar power. I would live near the school I'm attending, where I will walk, which is healthy for me and the earth. When I have to go further than the school, I would bike or go to the bus station to take the bus. I would grow vegetables in a little greenhouse in my garden. I would make a deal and get a good connection with farmers for milk and meat. To get eggs, I would have chickens in my garden. That is the best way for the earth to live.

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Maren.biomim   2026-01-13 20:33:24
Environmentally Friendly Home

If I were the head of my household I would lower my carbon footprint by opting for LED light bulbs because they are more energy efficient than incandescent. I would also compost organic food waste to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill and to return nutrients to the soil around my home so that I could potentially grow my own fruits and vegetables. I would also opt for energy efficient appliances to avoid burning fossil fuels.

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Noah_Branham08   2026-01-12 07:27:35
Energy Waste

Most days, I leave my fan running in my room. This is a habit I got used to because my room is super small, so it is always hot. I recently discovered how much energy I am wasting and that I need to make some changes to my energy-wasting habits. How much have my few years of leaving my fan running affected my personal carbon footprint and the area around me?

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BiomimAva   2026-01-11 20:24:11
How much of my family footprint is under my control?

It's hard for me to gauge what aspects I am responsible for. Sure, there's the lights in my personal spaces, the plumbing I use, the things I buy, but that hardly scrapes the surface of my family's overall carbon footprint. Is there anything else I can be more involved in?

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BiomimCollins   2026-01-09 07:34:40
Family footprint

How can children encourage their parents to change their way of living? Parents hold a lot of authority and it could be hard to break them out of their habits.

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martinnn   2025-11-11 21:59:16 (Last post: 2025-11-18 21:11:03)
How Can We Reduce Carbon Footprints at Home?

I learned that most of my carbon emissions come from home energy and transportation. My footprint is 3,055 kg of CO₂ per year, which is lower than the average for California, but I still want to lower it. I think the easiest way to start is by using less electricity and turning off lights and electronics when not needed. Families can also switch to LED bulbs, use energy-efficient appliances, and adjust the thermostat to save energy. If more people made small changes at home, it could really help reduce total CO₂ levels.
(Source: ISCFC Calculator, 2024; EPA “Reducing Home Energy Use,” 2024)

matthewk1   2025-11-13 14:50:17

Another thing we can do to lower carbon emissions at home is to turn off the water while we are brushing our teeth and only using it when needed. We could also just not use any heating or air conditioning, and as a substitute for heating we can use blankets.

Umi14   2025-11-18 21:11:03

There are many ways you can lower your carbon footprint. Like using public transit, walking, or biking instead of driving. You can also lower your beef consumption. Eliminating beef as much as possible, will significantly lower your carbon footprint. Cows produce methane, which is produced when they eat. One methane molecule is equivalent to about 23 CO2 molecules! Even replacing beef for chicken or fish will lower your carbon emissions. You can also lower your shower times.

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Box_had123   2025-11-17 13:13:27
Everyone's Carbon footprint is different!

My family's Carbon footprint is 16,841kg. Some people have near the average carbon footprint. Others have a very high Carbon footprint because maybe they have a big family or they have a small family and they have bad habits in their usage. But others sometimes have low carbon footprints because they pay attention if they are starting to have a bad habit and stop it.

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