Clam Lorenz, General Manager of Social Innovation, PayPal
The U.S economy wastes over 60% of the 
It may seem like a daunting task, but every person has the ability to make his or her carbon footprint a little smaller - regardless of age, income or nationality. Tomorrow is Earth Hour, in which people in 162 participating countries are invited to shut off electricity for 60 minutes. From 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. local time, millions of people around the world will turn off lights to save energy and show their support of conservation.[2]
This global movement will spread awareness and call for a worldwide environmental preservation effort. It’s time for everyone to conserve, protect and nurture the world united. Through Earth Hour’s symbolic hour, a global community will be rallied, but it doesn’t have to stop there…
Going Beyond 60 Minutes
There are other ways to cut back on waste, electricity and carbon emissions all year round, as well as many apps to keep you on track! One of the biggest pieces of waste is paper. We print out everything, have pages of information and then toss it, without thinking of recycling. With mobile phones and the abundance of apps, paper is becoming obsolete. Opt to receive bank statements electronically, eliminate checks and find deals online, instead of printing or clipping paper coupons. You can also set up re-occurring online payments, ask for electronic receipts and use apps like PayPal to keep paper usage as low as possible.
Another way to cut back on your carbon footprint is by using alternative modes of transportation. In the average American household, motor vehicles use 9 tons of carbon a year, that’s almost 20% of the total carbon usage[3]. To cut this back, consider carpooling or biking whenever possible. Ride-sharing apps like Uber even allow users to select a carpool option to save gas and money by sharing a ride with someone in your area.
There’s wide array of other mobile apps available that help make the planet and your home a little greener, like Kill-Ur-Watts which tracks your energy use over time and recommends actionable strategies for energy reduction. There’s also Nest Mobile, which allows Nest users to change the temperature of their house by turning their mobile device into an iRemote to turn down the thermostat while they’re away.
Bigger Picture
Before the 60 minutes start tomorrow, Earth Hour allows people to directly contribute to environmental causes they care about, such as wildlife conservation and clean air initiatives. Through PayPal users can donate to any Earth Hour cause including:
Saving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia China ‘Blue Sky’ campaign for air pollution Wildlife crime in South East Asia Women and children’s health in Madagascar Endangered species in Russia Reducing coal-fired power plants in Greece Fishing protection in Philippines Protecting the Artic in Finland
Get Started Now!
Find out how to lend a hand or donate to the causes above here.
[1] “Spooky Statistics About Energy And Water Waste” – Energy Resource Center (2014, October)
[2] About Page – EarthHour.org (2015, February 6)
[3] “"Carbon Footprint of Typical U.S. Household" - Cool Climate Network at University of California, Berkeley (2011, August 3)