Carbon Footprint

Do you know your carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted by a person, household, building or a company and released into the atmosphere each year. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide can trap heat in the atmosphere and can have an impact on global climate change.

Almost everything we do in our lives contributes to our carbon footprint. Anything that requires burning fossil fuels including heating and lighting buildings to driving your car can add to your carbon footprint. The increase in greenhouse gases can cause global temperatures to rise and change climates drastically. A major concern is ice melt resulting in the loss of habitat for animals and the rise in sea levels.

Carbon footprints are a vital tool to understanding how human behavior and actions can affect climate change.  To test your carbon footprint, use the Carbon Footprint Calculator provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to see how you impact our world. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html

Ready to Take Action?

You can reduce your carbon footprint and the impacts on our world by taking simple steps to reduce your carbon usage. Simple steps like carpooling and recycling can make a big difference in our world. If you are looking for a more active step to take, consider planting trees that can help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen to reduce greenhouse gases.  For more tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint, visit our Eco-Friendly Tips page!

You can also consider purchasing carbon offsets. A carbon offset represents a reduction in carbon emissions somewhere else when you cannot make the reduction yourself. When you purchase carbon offsets, the proceeds help found a reforestation project or support renewable energy projects. All of these efforts work towards the goal of becoming carbon neutral.  To purchase a carbon offset, visit carbonfund.org!