While I've been trying to think of ways for people to reduce the size of their carbon footprint, it occurs to me that there are a lot of people who think it's something that would be next to impossible or even simply too inconvenient for them. I think an easy area for people to start with would be with the food they eat and how they eat it.

Too much of what a lot of people eat is meat-centered. If most people began to eat half the amount of meat they usually do, their food-related carbon footprint would be reduced by one third; fully cutting meat out of your diet would cut CO2 emissions from it in half. If that weren't enough to prompt someone to change, there have been observational studies tracking the detrimental effects of consuming too much red meat. Historically, meat has been used to add flavor to meals based on more grains and vegetables than anything else rather than being the main component of them. It's true that protein is required for proper nutrition, but there are healthier and more eco-friendly ways to get it.
Information referenced: http://www.newscient ist.com/article/dn25795-going-vegetarian-halves-co2-emissions-from-your-food.html
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/12/health/re … -lifespan/

Another thing to consider is the amount of waste produced in typical lunches. If you think about what's in someone's packed lunch, there are usually things like individual bags of chips, cookies, or crackers, containers of yogurt, sandwiches packed in plastic zip-lock bags, plastic forks or spoons, plastic water bottles or juice boxes, and napkins that all get thrown away after eating. With a little forethought and planning, much of the billions of lunch waste produced each year can be eliminated without reducing the enjoyment of your lunch.
This link has a step-by-step process to pack waste free lunches for you and your family:
http://www.wikihow.com/Pack-a-Waste-Free-Lunch

Small lifestyle changes like these can make a huge difference, especially when they're made by entire families.