Listen to the podcast.

Going Carbon Neutral

Ever wonder how much YOU are contributing to global warming? Now you can find out, and, what’s more, you can learn exactly what to do to neutralize your impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

Several organizations and private companies provide online “carbon calculators” that allow you to plug in your annual power bill, gasoline usage and airline miles to determine how much carbon dioxide you and your family are responsible for emitting each year. The calculators can also tell you what to do to offset those emissions, either by planting trees (which absorb carbon dioxide), reducing energy usage or investing in clean-energy projects that work to reduce global carbon emissions.

In this way, individuals – and even large corporations – can become “carbon neutral.” For example, the World Bank recently announced that it would become carbon neutral, promising to offset its whopping 148,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year by purchasing “green power” for 100 percent of its electricity consumption and investing in renewable energy projects in developing countries.

Travel and touring companies are also getting in on the act by offering people who purchase vacations the option to purchase “carbon credits” to offset the impact of their air travel as well. These credits invest money in renewable energy projects or help to protect tropical forests that act as natural carbon filters.

Carbon dioxide emissions contribute heavily to global climate change by creating a layer of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere. The gases work like a blanket, trapping heat around the earth’s surface. Over time, scientists believe this leads to more frequent and severe weather and geological events, such as earthquakes and hurricanes. It is also hastening melting of the polar ice caps, causing sea levels to rise and causing severe droughts and heat waves.

To learn more about how to calculate your carbon dioxide use and how to offset it, visit www.stopglobalwarming.org or www.carbonneutral.com.

To learn about other ways you can help prevent global warming and become more energy-efficient, visit www.fightglobalwarming.com.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org