What's My Carbon Footprint?

by Dr. Ken Pollock

According to the UK Carbon Trust a carbon footprint is "the total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product".

Whenever you use energy created from fossil fuels such as oil or coal, you're generating carbon emissions, which increases the level of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere. Your carbon footprint is created by day-to-day corporate and personal activities such as driving, flying, heating or cooling your home or business and using electrical appliances.

Even the products you purchase can contribute to your carbon footprint because of the energy that was required to create and transport them. There are many products available to help you reduce your carbon footprint, and in many cases reduce your costs, such as recycled products, efficient light bulbs, solar energy and more.

Determining your “carbon footprint” means to measure the amount of greenhouse gases that you are adding into the atmosphere. The term was coined from carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas that is the main contributor to climate change.

When you offset your personal carbon emissions, you are doing your much-needed part in helping to put an end to global warming and climate change. In addition to making the world a better place, you just might also score a few popularity points with your friends and family.

You can offset your personal carbon emissions through a reputable firm like EcoAid or others who use those offsets to invest in green projects that create efficient energy such as wind power , solar power, farm power, plant trees, and more. Make sure the firm you purchase your carbon credits/offsets from is a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange or the European Climate Exchange, the only third party verified sources of carbon credits.

To take an active role in neutralizing your carbon emissions today use an individual carbon calculator to determine your carbon footprint. You might be surprised how much carbon we create every day, and hopefully learn a little about where you can make some positive changes.

We’re all concerned about the air we breathe, the water we drink and the environmental legacy we leave behind for our children and grandchildren. As we all become more aware of how our behavior affects the environment around us, it’s important to proactively engage in ways to reduce our individual, business and institutional carbon footprints.

Buying carbon credits, which result in the funding of “green projects”, making fewer trips to the store, running the dishwater at night, supporting “green businesses”, teaching our children environmental responsibility and simply turning off the lights when we’re not in the room can all make a difference in the world in which we live.

About the Author:

Dr. Ken Pollock is EcoAid’s Chief Executive Officer, sets the strategy for the company. www.ecoaidnow.com. Read more of his articles at www.buycarboncreditsandoffsets.com. In addition, he will be launching http://carbon-school.com in the near future to provide the training and tools for individuals, businesses and institutions. He has a PhD in Chemical Engineering.

Comments

[Jasper]

As well as turning off lights, we can think about installing a solar hot water system in our home or office. (It'll also be a way of supporting a green business, of course). It might seem a small action, but it can make a difference because it acts as an encouragement to others - and I'm thinking of potential policymakers in particular here. Your solar hot water system's environmental benefits might seem to be cancelled out by a big polluting Chinese coal-fired power station - but what it will do is prompt friends and neighbours to consider doing the same and will ultimately enable a politician attending gatherings such as the Copenhagen Summit to say that there is popular demand for a greener world and challenge other countries to take the bigger measures that are needed in the long run.

Here in the UK grants are available to help with the cost of installing solar hot water systems (details can be found here: http://www.solaruk.com/grants.asp). Public sector organisations and charities are now eligible for grants as well as private households.