Protecting the environment starts with the choices we make every day. No single step will solve climate change, but small individual actions add up, especially when they go hand in hand with better policy and business practices.
Key takeaways
- For most people in wealthy countries, the biggest levers are how you travel, how you power your home, and what you eat.
- The federal residential solar tax credit, the federal EV tax credits, and the home charger credit have all ended, so check state and utility incentives.
- Beef from beef herds has roughly ten times the footprint of poultry per kilogram, and what you eat usually matters more than how far it traveled.
- Aviation is about 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, and a short domestic flight emits roughly six times as much per passenger kilometer as national rail.
- The world’s 65 biggest banks committed $906 billion to fossil fuels in 2025, so where you bank can matter.
- Carbon offsets fund verified reductions or removals elsewhere and work alongside cutting your own emissions.
What has changed since this guide was first published
- Tax credits have ended: The federal residential solar credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. The federal EV credits ($7,500 new, $4,000 used) ended September 30, 2025, and the home charger credit ended June 30, 2026.
- EV sales have dipped: US EV sales fell about 23.8% in the first half of 2026 compared with a year earlier, according to Kelley Blue Book, and several brands cut prices by $7,500 to $9,800 to make up for the lost credit.
- Banks are financing more fossil fuels: The 2026 Banking on Climate Chaos report found that 65 major banks committed $906 billion to fossil fuels in 2025, up 8% from the year before.
- New product claim rules: In the EU, rules that began applying on September 27, 2026 prohibit claims that a product has a neutral, reduced, or positive climate impact based on offsetting alone.
12 Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Impact in 2026
1. Make the Switch to Renewable Energy
Everyone knows that using renewable energy is great for the planet, but not everyone is aware of how many ways there are to do it. Whether it’s for your home or business, there are several routes to lower carbon electricity:
- Install a solar energy system. Producing clean, renewable power from your rooftop is one of the most effective ways to cut your home’s electricity emissions. One thing has changed since this guide was first written: the federal residential solar tax credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Leased and power purchase agreement systems can still pass a related federal credit through the installer through 2027, and some states and utilities offer their own incentives. Read more in our post on solar’s bright future.
- Choose a green power program from your utility. Many utilities offer electricity sourced from solar, wind, hydro, and in some cases biomass. Changing can be as simple as making a phone call or completing an online form. Ask about the program’s sources and look for Green-e certification. Our guide to the difference between green, renewable, and clean energy can help you compare options.
- Invest in a community solar or wind project. If you don’t have space for solar panels or a wind turbine, you can join a community project. You can explore America’s community solar movement, or read the US Energy Department’s guide to community wind projects.
- Buy renewable energy certificates (RECs). If you want to match your electricity use with renewable generation, Terrapass offers renewable energy certificates, including Green-e Energy Certified RECs. Each REC represents one megawatt hour of renewable electricity generated, and buying RECs equal to your usage supports renewable energy generation. A REC does not change the physical electricity that reaches your home, and it works alongside using less energy.
Programs and incentives change, so check what is currently available where you live. For more on the pros and cons, see the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy.
2. Reduce (or Eliminate) Your Meat Consumption
Eating less meat and incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods into your diet is a simple way to reduce your food footprint. A 2018 study in the journal Science by Joseph Poore and Thomas Nemecek, which covered more than 38,000 farms in 119 countries and is presented by Our World in Data, found that animal products have the highest emissions per kilogram. In the Our World in Data figures, beef from beef herds averages about 99 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per kilogram, lamb about 40, cheese about 24, and poultry about 10. Tofu comes in around 3, and nuts and apples are about 0.4. By these numbers, beef from a beef herd has roughly ten times the footprint of poultry and far more than most plant foods.
If you want to drastically cut your food footprint, a vegetarian or vegan diet is an effective step. But if you’re not ready to say goodbye to meat, eggs, and dairy just yet, you can also try out a flexitarian diet that mixes in more plant based meals and still leaves room for your favorites.
3. Choose Products From Companies With Credible Climate Commitments
The average American makes hundreds if not thousands of purchasing decisions every year, and each one is a chance to choose a lower impact option. A growing number of companies around the country are making sustainability a priority. For example, Washington based beverage company Talking Rain announced in 2021 a commitment to reduce its carbon emissions and began working with Terrapass on carbon offsets.
A few tips for shopping with the climate in mind:
- Look for independent certifications such as ENERGY STAR for appliances, Fair Trade, FSC for wood and paper, and Certified B Corporation, rather than marketing words like green or eco friendly.
- Check whether a company publishes its emissions and its targets for reducing them.
- Be cautious about product labels that claim to cancel out their climate impact through offsetting. New EU rules that began applying on September 27, 2026 prohibit claims that a product has a neutral, reduced, or positive climate impact based on offsetting alone, and the US Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides also warn against unqualified environmental claims. Offsetting is better described as funding specific, verified reductions or removals.
- See who else is taking action. Terrapass keeps a list of partner companies and organizations that have taken part in our carbon offset programs, and you can read how carbon offset programs work.
And the next time you’re shopping, whether it’s in store or online, look for brands that can show their work on climate action.
4. Fly Less Often, and Fly Smarter
Aviation accounts for around 2.5% of global CO2 emissions and has contributed about 4% of global warming to date, according to Our World in Data. For people who fly, air travel can make up a much larger share of their personal footprint. As we covered when we looked at the future of sustainable air travel, airlines are investing in cleaner jet fuels and new aircraft, but the sector has made little progress on switching to low carbon fuels, so flying remains a carbon intensive exercise.
The next time you’re booking a flight, take a moment to consider the alternatives. Could you take a train or coach, or carpool instead? In the UK data used by Our World in Data, a domestic flight emits about 255 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometer, compared with about 41 grams for national rail. If you do have to fly, choose direct flights when you can, since takeoff and landing burn a lot of fuel.
And for the flights you can’t avoid, our online carbon footprint calculator makes it easy to estimate your emissions, and you can purchase verified flight carbon offsets that fund emission reductions or removals elsewhere. Businesses can look at the Terrapass for aviation program.
5. Create a More Sustainable Bathroom
The bathroom is a critical part of every home, but it’s also a place where we often waste a lot of energy and water, not to mention all of the disposable beauty and grooming products that end up in landfills. Luckily, there are many simple changes that can make your bathroom far more sustainable:
- Reduce your shower length to save water and energy
- Install a water saving showerhead, and look for the EPA WaterSense label
- Refill cleaning and detergent bottles at your local zero waste store
- Change all of your bathroom lights to LEDs
- If you’re upgrading or renovating, consider installing a water saving toilet
- Replace bottled shampoo and conditioner with plastic free bars
- Buy natural and biodegradable products, and ideally ones with recyclable packaging
- Use recycled and responsibly sourced toilet paper
- Wash your clothes in cold water, and air dry them whenever possible
6. Consider an Electric Vehicle
If you’re in the market for a new set of wheels, an EV is worth a look. Most lifecycle analyses, including this Forbes summary, find that EVs emit less over their lifetimes than gasoline cars, and the gap widens as the electricity grid gets cleaner. If your electricity comes from renewable sources, the emissions from your driving fall even further. EVs are also quieter and often cheaper to run.
The economics have shifted, though. The federal EV tax credits ended on September 30, 2025, and the federal home charger credit ended on June 30, 2026. US EV sales fell about 23.8% in the first half of 2026 compared with a year earlier, and several automakers responded by cutting prices by $7,500 to $9,800 across their electric lineups. Some states and utilities still offer rebates or discounted charging rates, so check what’s available where you live. Used EVs can be a lower cost way in, and if an EV isn’t right for you yet, a hybrid or a more efficient vehicle still cuts fuel use. To see where transportation fits in, read our list of the top 10 contributors to CO2 pollution in the US.
7. Plant Trees Every Time You Search the Web
If you’re looking for a way to support tree planting without changing your daily behavior, Ecosia is a popular option. It’s a not for profit search engine that says it puts its profits toward climate action, mainly tree planting. Ecosia says it reached its original goal of planting 230 million trees in 2025, across more than 35 countries, and that roughly every 50 searches funds a tree. It also says its own solar plants generate twice the electricity it needs to power its searches, and it has begun investing beyond tree planting in areas like renewable energy and biodiversity.
These are the company’s own figures, and a planted tree is not the same as a verified ton of carbon removal, so think of Ecosia as a simple way to support reforestation, not a replacement for cutting emissions. Learn more in our post on the effectiveness of tree planting offsets.
8. Eat More Fresh and Seasonal Foods
Your food’s carbon footprint generally depends more on what you eat than on how far it travels. Transport is a small share of food emissions, according to Our World in Data, so even local beef or lamb has a much larger footprint than most plant foods. That said, fresh and seasonal foods are still a good part of a sustainable diet. Many of the foods and produce we eat in America travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach us, and as we discovered in a recent article, perishable fruits and vegetables that are air freighted in can create 50 times the CO2 emissions of foods imported via cargo ships.
If you want to incorporate more regional food into your diet, you can shop at farmers markets, supermarkets that stock local produce, local roadside vendors, or even join community supported agriculture. Shopping local is also a good way to make sure you only buy what you’re prepared to eat, which helps fight the growing problem of food waste carbon emissions. Eating fresh and seasonal produce is a great way to discover new foods and support local growers in your community.
9. Check Where Your Bank Invests
Did you know your bank account can have an impact on the climate? Banks use deposits to fund lending and investment, including loans to fossil fuel companies. According to the 2026 edition of the Banking on Climate Chaos report, produced by a coalition of environmental groups, the world’s 65 biggest banks committed $906 billion to fossil fuels in 2025, up 8% from $869 billion in 2024, and about $8.7 trillion since the Paris Agreement. Some banks reduced their fossil fuel financing, but the total still rose. The UN backed Net Zero Banking Alliance ceased operations in October 2025 after major banks left.
If you’d like your savings to match your values, look into where your bank invests. Read its climate and lending policies, consider credit unions and community banks, and compare banks that restrict financing for new fossil fuel projects. Switching banks is one step, and it works best alongside other actions. For more on how money flows toward climate solutions, see our guide to carbon finance systems.
10. Embrace a Sustainable Wardrobe
The global fashion industry is a significant source of emissions, though the numbers are debated. The often quoted 10% figure is widely considered too high, and estimates range from about 2% to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions depending on the method, according to UNEP. Whatever the exact share, we can all help by making smarter purchasing choices and thinking of clothing as a long term investment rather than a collection of disposable items.
If you want to help reduce fashion industry emissions, consider these tips:
- Avoid the lures of fast fashion. A $5 t-shirt might seem like a great deal for you, but it certainly isn’t for the environment. Instead of buying cheap items you know aren’t going to last, invest in fewer, higher quality items that you’ll wear for much longer.
- Repair clothing to extend its lifespan. Holes, rips, and tears in your clothes don’t necessarily mean you should throw them away. Take damaged items to a tailor to give them a second life, or learn to repair them yourself. Fixing your own clothes can be incredibly satisfying, and you’ll also learn some valuable new skills.
- Sell or donate your unwanted clothes. When you have items that you no longer want or need, you can contribute to the circular economy by selling or donating them. Just remember, an item you no longer wear might be exactly what someone else is looking for.
11. Educate Yourself (and Others)
If you’re striving to live more sustainably, it’s helpful to stay up to speed with the latest news, advice, and trends. In many cases, something as simple as watching a new documentary can be enough to inspire action. For Netflix fans, there’s a long list of documentaries and TV shows about sustainability, including “A Life on Our Planet” by Sir David Attenborough. Or, if you prefer Amazon Prime, there’s an equally impressive selection of nature documentaries.
To dig into the science, start with our guides to global warming, greenhouse gases, and the causes and effects of climate change. And perhaps most importantly, whenever you discover something that truly inspires you, be sure to share it with your family and friends.
12. Offset Your Remaining Carbon Footprint
Naturally, even after you’ve made sustainable changes to your lifestyle, there will likely be some emissions you can’t avoid. At Terrapass, we provide simple ways to offset your remaining carbon footprint through a selection of carbon offsets and sustainability projects around the world. Use our carbon footprint calculator to measure your annual CO2 emissions, then purchase verified carbon offsets, which fund emission reductions or removals elsewhere.
Terrapass’s Global Portfolio includes reforestation, REDD+ forest conservation, landfill gas capture, orphan oil well closure, industrial emission reduction, and residential solar installation, with projects verified under standards such as the Verified Carbon Standard, American Carbon Registry, Climate Action Reserve, and Gold Standard. Offsets work alongside cutting your own emissions, not instead of it. You can learn the difference between a carbon offset and a carbon credit and how to find high quality offsets, then see options for individuals and businesses.
No single step will save the planet, but the choices above add up, especially when they’re paired with supportive policy and business action. If we keep making better choices, we can help set the 2020s on a more sustainable course. For more ideas, browse the Terrapass blog.
FAQ: Living More Sustainably
What is the most effective way to reduce my carbon footprint?
For most people in wealthy countries, the biggest levers are how you travel, how you power your home, and what you eat. A carbon footprint calculator can show which of these matters most for you.
Is the federal solar tax credit still available?
Not for homeowners who buy or finance their own system. The federal residential credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Leased and power purchase agreement systems can still pass a related federal credit through the installer through 2027, and some states and utilities offer their own incentives.
Is the federal EV tax credit still available?
No. The $7,500 new and $4,000 used EV credits ended on September 30, 2025, and the federal home charger credit ended on June 30, 2026. Some states and utilities still offer incentives.
How much do flights contribute to climate change?
Aviation accounts for about 2.5% of global CO2 emissions and about 4% of global warming to date. A short domestic flight emits around 255 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometer, compared with about 41 grams for national rail.
Does eating local food reduce my carbon footprint?
Only a little. Transport is a small share of food emissions, so what you eat usually matters more than how far it traveled. Choosing more plant based foods has a bigger effect than choosing local beef or lamb.
Does it matter which bank I use?
It can. The world’s 65 biggest banks committed $906 billion to fossil fuels in 2025. Looking into your bank’s lending policies, or considering credit unions and community banks, is one way to align your savings with your values.
How much of global emissions come from fashion?
Estimates range from about 2% to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions depending on the method. The often quoted 10% figure is widely considered too high.
What can carbon offsets do for my footprint?
Offsets fund verified emission reductions or removals through projects elsewhere. They work alongside cutting your own emissions and do not change the footprint of the products or activities themselves.
Sources for the 2026 data:
Our World in Data, greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of food
Our World in Data, share of global CO2 emissions from aviation
Battery Technology Online, US EV sales in the first half of 2026
EVlife, federal EV tax credits ended September 30, 2025
Alliance News via MarketScreener, Banking on Climate Chaos 2026
Bloomberg Law, Net Zero Banking Alliance winds down
Ara, interview with UNEP on fashion emissions
SUNY ESF, Ecosia tree planting
Brought to you by terrapass.com
