Green Living Makes A Difference

(USATODAY) -- Sure, "going green" around the home makes us feel good about the environment, but does it actually do anything? The answer is yes, according to research published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In the study, scientists found that even small actions around the house can reduce U.S. carbon emissions by more than 7% over the next decade, even before low-carbon energy technologies are developed and national cap-and-trade regimes for emissions are enacted.

According to study lead author Thomas Dietz of Michigan State University, household energy consumption accounts for 38% of the USA's carbon dioxide emissions and 8% of global emissions.

Dietz and his colleagues pinpointed several actions that Americans can take immediately that will make a difference, including home weatherization and routine vehicle and equipment maintenance. Specific actions ranged from one-time tasks such as installing better insulation and lowering the water heater temperature, to ongoing tasks like using the clothesline instead of the dryer and improved driving habits.

"I've seen many analyses that make wild assumptions about how hard or how easy it is to get people to change their behavior, without any basis in science," Dietz said. "Our analysis is based on science. We look at what has been feasible in bringing about changes in energy consumption behavior."

Reducing the USA's carbon output by 7% over the next 10 years would be the equivalent of France's total carbon output, or of total emissions by the U.S. petroleum refining, steel and aluminum industries combined.