Carbon Neutral
What is Carbon Neutral?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases act like the glass walls of a greenhouse, trapping heat near the planet’s surface, which in turn is causing the earth’s temperature to rise, and the massive amount of CO2 released by the continued burning of fossil fuels like coal and petroleum products continues to contribute to climate change. Unfortunately, as a citizen of the modern world, it is almost impossible to get anything done without feeling you are somehow contributing to the downfall of the planet through global warming.
Luckily, there is a new movement underway around the world. It’s called going “carbon neutral,” and is based on the idea that an emission reduction will have the same overall positive effect no matter where it takes place.
Because global warming is felt by so many to be a more and more serious problem, some people have begun taking personal responsibility for the greenhouse gas emissions they create every time they drive, fly, or turn on the electricity by buying “carbon offsets.”
Carbon offsets offer the buyer credit for emission reductions achieved by such projects as wind farms, solar energy installations, etc., and reduce net climate impact. Also, calculating and assessing the actual cost of your own personal carbon emissions gives you a better idea of your personal impact on the environment.
How Do I Go Carbon Neutral?
1) Reduce your emissions! Switch off the lights, turn down the thermostat, use mass transportation instead of your car, vacation close to home (so you don't have to fly)—these are just a few ways (See elsewhere in this guide for more tips on energy-saving).
2) Decide which emissions you want to offset, whether it’s just a single event, like a wedding, or just a particular source, like air travel, or all of your emissions, l including driving and electricity.
3) Calculate your emissions using one of the many “carbon calculators” which can be found online. Some of these calculators will help you with just one emission source; others will let you calculate the emissions from more than one.
4) Once you know how many tons you produce, you can then buy the necessary amount of offsets to neutralize your own personal emissions. Again, many different options for purchasing a wide variety of carbon offsets can be found on the web. You can choose which of your major emission sources you wish to offset. To offset the emissions from electricity, you can use carbon offsets or a “Renewable Energy Certificate” (REC).
In addition to the overall reduction of CO2 emissions, another of the many benefits of purchasing carbon offsets is that it helps support the ongoing changeover to a sustainable energy economy by providing much-needed revenue to the developers of renewable energy, and sends a signal that renewable energy is not only important, but that many consumers actually would prefer it.
One method that some people are using to offset their carbon emissions is by planting trees, which absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, but this is considered by some to be questionable. Critics point out that the carbon being released into the atmosphere is fossil carbon, and having it locked up, or sequestered, in trees is merely a short-term solution. Critics say that, in order to be carbon neutral, the fossil carbon would have to be locked up for millions of years. Since most trees only live for tens or hundreds of years, when they die orare destroyed, they release the carbon back into the atmosphere.
As climate change continues and concern has grown around the world, many governments, businesses and organizations are choosing to opt for carbon neutrality. Many different methods are being used, and the list of methods, and participants, continues to grow at an exponential rate.
Many major sporting events, including the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the World Cup, have pledged to become carbon neutral. In addition, many popular musical acts, like Coldplay, the Rolling Stones and the Dave Matthews Band, have begun offsetting the emissions generated by their concerts and albums.
The Vatican, Costa Rica, and the World Bank have all committed to being carbon neutral, and such organizations as Wells Fargo (banking), Whole Foods (groceries), the Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Vail, Colorado, have purchased large quantities of renewable energy certificates to offset their electricity use.
Travel agents and certain major airlines are beginning to offer their customers the option to offset their flights, and as many conferences and conventions pledge to offset their emissions, many hotels are also making carbon neutral accommodations available.
Going carbon neutral may not be for everyone, but the more people do it, the more governments and energy companies will realize that this is another important step that more and more people are ready, and willing, to take to ensure the future of our planet.
Here are some simple facts and figures regarding emissions:
- One Ton of CO2 = 2,000 miles in an airplane
- One Ton of CO2 = 1,350 miles in a large SUV
- One Ton of CO2 = 1,900 miles in a mid-sized car
- One Ton of CO2 = 6,000 miles in a hybrid gasoline/electric car
- The average world citizen generates 4.5 tons of CO2 per year
- The average U.S. citizen generates 21 tons of CO2 per year
- The average U.S. car citizen generates 4.5 tons of CO2 per year
- The U.S. generates over 6 billion tons of CO2 per year, or approximately 25% of the entire world, which generates less than 25 tons of CO2 per year
