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Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Simple Tips for Home — Reading Comprehension

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RI.3.1
RI.4.1
4.ESS2.D
4-ESS3

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This passage focuses on reducing carbon footprints at home by conserving electricity. It suggests practical actions like turning off lights when leaving a room and using energy-efficient LED bulbs. The text introduces the concept of 'standby' or 'vampire' power, explaining how devices use energy even when turned off. By providing these tangible examples, the passage helps children understand how small actions can contribute to reducing carbon emissions. It emphasizes how using less electricity helps decrease the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

CONTENT PREVIEW

What Is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases we make through our daily activities. These gases, like carbon dioxide, trap heat in Earth's atmosphere and cause climate change. Everyone has a carbon footprint, and even small actions can add up.

Where Do Carbon Footprints Come From?

Many things we do at home create a carbon footprint. Using electricity for lights, TVs, and computers uses energy. Power plants often burn fossil fuels for this energy, releasing greenhouse gases. Heating and cooling our homes also use a lot of energy. Hot water for showers and washing dishes needs energy, too. Even the food we eat matters—growing, transporting, and packaging food creates emissions. Everything we buy, from toys to clothes, takes energy to make and ship.

How Can We Use Less Energy?

You can make a difference! Turn off lights when you leave a room. Unplug devices when not in use—they still use power! Use LED bulbs because they last longer and use less energy. Open curtains during the day to use sunlight instead of lamps. Wear sweaters instead of turning up the heat. Take shorter showers and run dishwashers or laundry only with full loads.

Transportation and Your Carbon Footprint

Cars, trucks, and buses burn fuel and make emissions. To help, walk or bike for short trips. Carpool with friends or combine errands into one trip.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Use reusable water bottles and bags. Donate old toys and clothes instead of throwing them away. Recycle paper, plastic, glass, and metal. Avoid single-use plastics. Borrow books from the library instead of buying new ones.

Food Choices Matter

Eating less meat, especially beef, lowers your footprint. Reduce food waste by eating leftovers. Grow your own vegetables and choose local foods when you can.

The Power of Many

Reducing your carbon footprint is like turning off a drippy faucet—each drop saved may seem small, but together, millions of drops can fill a whole bathtub! If lots of families make small changes, together we make a big difference for the planet.

Interesting Fact: If every American household changed just one lightbulb to an LED, it would save enough energy to light millions of homes for a year!

What is a carbon footprint?

The amount of greenhouse gases you makeThe size of your shoeThe amount of water you useThe number of people in your house

Which uses the MOST energy at home?

Heating and coolingOpening windowsReading booksPlaying outside

What is a good way to save energy?

Turn off lights when leavingLeave TV on all nightUse more hot waterKeep windows closed all day

Why does eating less meat help the planet?

It lowers greenhouse gas emissionsIt saves moneyIt tastes betterIt makes animals happy

What does 'reuse' mean?

Use something againThrow it awayBuy new thingsBreak it

If you unplug devices, what happens?

You save energyYou make more wasteYou use more waterYou eat less food