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Step 2: Reduce Your Footprint
 At Home:
- Conserve electricity. Electricity generated by fossil fuels — coal, oil, and natural gas — account for 85 percent of current US fuel use. When generated, these fuels emit nitrogen into the atmosphere, which can make its way into our streams and rivers.
- Switch cleaners. A lot of common household cleaners contain ammonia, which is a form of nitrogen. Nowadays, there are plenty of effective environmentally friendly cleaning products without ammonia to choose from, or you can even make your own.
- Know your sewage system. If you're on municipal sewage system, the best thing you can do is to support efforts to remove the greatest amount of nitrogen possible. On-lot sewage system users should pump septic tanks regularly to reduce the build-up of solids. When it comes time to replace your old tank, replace it with a nitrogen-reducing system.
- Reduce lawn fertilizer use. Fertilizers promote plant growth and green lawns by helping plants meet their nutrient needs, but overuse or misuse of fertilizers can lead to excess nitrogen contaminating your water supply. Before you fertilize, test your soil to determine how much fertilizer you need, and then choose the appropriate fertilizer type for your lawn. Your local Extension agent can hook you up with an easy testing kit for a small fee, or you can purchase do-it-yourself test kits from many area nurseries and online retailers. And instead of bagging grass clippings, leave them on the lawn to decompose and release nutrients.
- Pick up after your pets. The average dog creates 275 pounds of poop each year. Rain and snowmelt drain bacteria and nitrogen from dog stools into our storm sewers, which flow into our local waterways. Instead of leaving it where it falls, bag it, flush it down the toilet, or install an underground pet waste digester (but first check local laws). Or consider this: Portland, Oregon, is experimenting with pet waste stations in larger dog parks, while some other progressive cities offer composting of plant and animal waste.
 On the Road:
- Keep your car well-tuned. A regularly maintained car emits fewer pollutants. A well-tuned car with properly inflated tires also improves gas mileage.
- Drive slower. Higher speeds and gunning the engine burns gas and increases nitrogen emissions. Use cruise control on the highway to maintain steady speeds.
- Drive less. Take public transportation, car pool to work or school, consolidate trips, or (gasp) walk or bike to your destination. With vehicles acting as a major source of pollution, removing as many from the road as possible will have the greatest impact.
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