How to keep a green footprint?

Honestly idk, I'm barely starting to get into eco lifestyle but one of my households had a neutral footprint but I added several gardening plants and how it's green. So it seemed like gardening plants have a bigger green footprint then build mode plants some try adding some to your builds.

Also idk if this play into it but do you have all your lights on? I typically play with auto-lights on all my builds so it not only helps lower your power usage but it may also lower your low industrial footprint. I say this because I had a household who was mostly neutral but then I decided to have a party and it was winter. So the lights were on in several rooms, the tv was on, the fireplace was going, and I had my sim using the dj booth and I noticed that the lot was going starting to go industrial.