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Top 10 Steps to Lower your Carbon Footprint

Erie County is tackling climate change with its Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP), which is a roadmap for reducing climate pollution, promoting renewable energy, and enhancing resilience to extreme weather. While most of the Plan is focused on actions for the County and municipalities, this page discusses important actions residents can take to reduce their own carbon footprint and support our community’s goals to reduce climate pollution.  Every action, no matter how small, can make a difference. By making conscious choices in your daily life, you can reduce your carbon footprint and inspire others to do the same.  

The top ten steps are broken into sections that will help you identify different ways to lower your carbon footprint, based on: how am I doing, how do I improve my home, how I get places, what I buy and throw away, and the big picture.    

How am I doing?  

1- Conduct my Personal Carbon Footprint  

  • Residents can use tools like the Climate Footprint Calculator; to understand their impact and where they can make changes to make the biggest differences.   

How do I improve my home?  

2- Weatherize  

Clean energy options for your home: exterior landscaping and trees, high-performance windows, insulation, and smart thermostats enhance energy efficiency. LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances like heat pumps, Energy Star fridges and induction stoves reduce consumption. EV chargers support fossil fuel-free travel, while battery storage ensures local electricity use.

3- Install Heat Pumps  

  • Erie County offers support to access incentives for installing energy-efficient heat pumps through the NYS Clean Heat Program , which can lower heating and cooling costs by up to 30% and reduce carbon emissions. Heat pumps are more efficient than traditional systems and can also be used for hot water.    
  • Stay tuned for a new incentive of up to $8,000 for new heat pump installations, to be released in late 2024.  

4- Electrify Appliances and Yard Equipment  

  • Yard Equipment:   
  1. Gas-powered yard equipment, like lawnmowers and leaf blowers, contributes to climate pollution and poor air quality. Switching to battery-powered options is a cleaner, quieter, and more eco-friendly alternative. Check out NYSERDA'S Electric Yard Equipment Buyer's Guide for more information.  
  • Appliances:  
  1. Electric appliances such as heat pump dryers and induction stoves also help reduce household energy use and climate pollution and can improve indoor air quality. Residents should look for ENERGY STAR®-certified models to maximize energy savings.   
  2. Stay tuned for the Home Energy and Appliance Rebate Program roll out in NYS in late 2024!  
  3. Habitat Buffalo ReStore is also a great option that sells new and gently used home goods at discounted prices, with proceeds supporting affordable housing projects in the community. This may be an opportunity to recycle old yard equipment, or re-use pre-owned electric equipment!


5- Use Renewable Energy  

How does community solar work? Community solar allows renters and homeowners to benefit from clean energy. A solar project is built often on fallow land or brown fields. These solar projects supply clean energy to the local grid. Subscribers receive bill credits from shared solar panels and see savings on their electricity bills.

  • The NY-Sun program makes solar energy more accessible for residents, which can lower energy costs and greatly reduce your carbon footprint.   
  • The ECLIPSE (Erie County Low-Income Program for Sustainable Energy) will help low- and moderate-income households access energy from community solar projects and reduce electric costs.  ECLIPSE will be rolled out in late 2024.  


6- Plant Trees  

Nature-based solutions support local ecosystems like forests, wetlands, and urban green spaces by protecting, restoring, and managing them. These actions offer co-benefits for people and nature, including carbon storage, flood retention, and reduced storm impacts, leading to CO2 reduction and increased climate resilience for communities.

  • The benefits planted trees can be seen in various ways, such as mitigating extreme heat, improving air quality, and absorbing stormwater runoff.    Consider planting a tree in your yard or requesting a street tree from your local government.  
  • STAY TUNED FOR NEW TREE PROGRAMS!  In 2024 the Village of Lancaster, the City of Buffalo and Erie County received separate grants totaling more than $13M for community and urban trees in disadvantaged communities.  


How do I improve how I get places?  

People demonstrating clean energy options including a man riding a bike, a person charging an E.V. vehicle, a person installing a solar panel, a person planting a tree, a person putting something in a recycling bin, and a public transportation bus driving by.

7- Use Low Carbon Transportation  

In Erie County, transportation is the largest source of climate pollution, and vehicle emissions cause significant health impacts.  For many residents reducing their transportation footprint is the easiest way to dramatically lower their carbon footprint.  

  • Active Mobility- Nearly half of all vehicle trips in Erie County are under three miles. Switching to walking, biking, and micromobility devices like electric scooters reduces climate pollution, improves health, and saves money. Learn how today.  
  • Public Transit & Carpooling - Using buses and light rail, and car pooling are a great way to lower your carbon footprint and avoid the expense of owning a car. Plan your NFTA trip today .  
  • Electric Vehicles - Changing to an EV can significantly reduce climate and air pollution and EVs are much less expensive to operate than traditional vehicles.   There are state and federal incentives that can lower the cost of purchasing an EV.  


How do I improve what I buy and throw away?  

Mindful consumption means think before you buy and replace. Can I borrow or rent it? Do I really need it now? Recycle! How can I make sure it is recycled properly? Repurpose! How can I put this item to new use? Retain! Do I really need to replace it now? Repair! Can it be fixed instead of replaced.

8- Practice Mindful Consumption  

  • Mindful consumption involves making conscious, intentional decisions about what we buy, use, and discard, with the goal of reducing environmental impact and supporting sustainability.  
  • Food and Beverages- Erie County encourages composting with discounted bins, food donation programs, and waste reduction workshops. Compost kitchen scraps using the county's bins, donate excess food to local banks, and join food waste reduction workshops. Access our food waste resources .  
  • Cleaning and Personal Care Products- Erie County encourages natural cleaners, safe disposal of hazardous chemicals, and reusable tools. Switch to natural cleaners, use drop-off sites for chemicals, and opt for reusable cleaning tools. Access our hazardous waste resources.  
  • Tools and Equipment- The Tool Library offers residents access to shared tools, reducing the need for single-use purchases. Borrow tools for home projects, repairs, or gardening, and participate in community-led initiatives to promote resource sharing and waste reduction. Learn more at The Tool Library .  


9- Compost and Recycle My Waste  

Waste Management Hierarchy. From most preferred to least preferred: Source reduction and reuse, recycling and composting, energy recovery, treatment and disposal.

  • Erie County encourages home composting through subsidies on compost bins , offering the Earth Machine and barrels for rainwater catchment at a discounted rate to reduce food waste, enrich soil, and offset your water usage. Additionally, the Scrap It Curbside Program , run by Farmer Pirates, provides a convenient composting service for Buffalo residents, collecting organic waste for community agriculture.  Other municipalities are also running food waste collection projects. Check with your town or village for more information. 
  • The County also supports comprehensive recycling , offering events for household hazardous waste disposal, electronics recycling, and more. Programs ensure proper disposal of items like paint, bulbs, and cell phones, promoting sustainable waste management across the region.  


How do I improve the big picture?  

Together, we can make a significant impact on our carbon footprint. By collaborating with governments, businesses, and other organizations, we can create a more sustainable future for everyone. Here are some ways you can get involved.  

10- Get Involved!  

  • Through the Erie County Community Climate Action Plan, residents can support various efforts such as reducing carbon pollution, improving energy efficiency, and promoting renewable energy use.   
  • To learn more about ways to get involved, visit Erie County's Get Involved Page and explore resources like the NYSERDA webpage for additional climate action initiatives and advocacy tools. Check out our Climate Ambassador program for ways to be a more effective climate advocate in your community.  
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