Planning to reduce your carbon footprint in 2014? This article suggests three small changes you can make for a greener lifestyle.

If you want to do your part in saving the environment in 2014, start by taking a few small steps that will positively impact the world around you. You don’t have to transform your whole life in order to become more environmentally conscious. We’ve gathered three easy-to-implement changes to help you reduce your carbon footprint.

Reduce food waste

According to a recent United Nations report, one-third of the world’s food is wasted annually at great economic and environmental costs. Food waste contributes to excess consumption of fossil fuels, which impacts global climate change.

If you want a greener lifestyle in 2014, start by reducing the amount of food you waste. Stop overspending on groceries. Instead, make a menu plan every week and stick to it. This way you will know exactly the amount of food you should buy and cook. With a little precision, you’ll avoid excessive leftovers lingering in the fridge.

Some food waste is unavoidable, so consider setting up a compost pile in the yard for fruit and vegetable peelings. A kitchen composter for food scraps can also come in handy, providing you with rich fertilizer for your houseplants or garden. Consider buying some compostable bags made from biopolymers to package your food scraps and other organic household waste. You can send them to designated facilities, which will prevent your waste from going to landfills.

Use eco-friendly bags when shopping

According to a blog post by Metabolix [ https://metabolix.com/ ], a bioscience company that delivers sustainable solutions for the plastic, chemical, and energy industries, the rate of recycling for plastic bags remains low, at just over 11% in 2011. Los Angeles recently became the largest city in the U.S. to ban single-use plastic carryout bags, joining 90 smaller cities and counties in the state who’ve passed similar laws. Los Angeles officials were worried about the environmental impacts of plastic bags, including the danger they pose to the animal life and the addition they make to floating plastics in the world’s oceans.

In 2014, make the switch from plastic bags to more eco-friendly alternatives. You can easily find biodegradable plastic bags or reusable bags to take with you when grocery shopping. Keep a few in your car or purse/briefcase so you never forget them at home again.

Walk more

Walking isn’t only beneficial for your health – it also reduces your carbon footprint. Vehicles continue to be a significant contributor to air pollution. Besides walking, consider carpooling to work or taking public transportation whenever possible, both of which will save you money on gas.

Preserving the environment is important. Its degradation threatens the Earth's natural resources. We should all be more concerned about the small ways in which we can have a more positive impact on our surroundings. Follow these simple steps to get started today.