22 January 2007

Carbon

An Inconvenient Truth: Carbon Calculator

I rack up under 4 tons a year (around 3.8), but I think I can reduce that further. What's your number?

I've watched over the past several months with tremendous excitement as terms like "carbon offset" have percolated into certain segments of everyday conversation. In the UK, the food markets are voluntarily beginning to add additional label information next to nutrition facts regarding the carbon impact of the food we eat. Businesses are cropping up where conscientious citizens can purchase offsets to neutralize their individual carbon impact by pushing money towards green energy operations and other services. Even without Kyoto, progress is moving forward. The UK, California, and a few select other areas are leading the way, but even China is beginning to assess methods for improving its green quotient in time for the Olympics. Granted, this is all largely sunny optimism without much substance unless wide majorities jump on board these initiatives. Otherwise, carbon offsets will have minimal impact. But still.... systems are maturing, and citizens conscious of their global footprint find an increasing field of methods with which to minimize it.

Now if we can just figure out a way to make jet travel more green.....

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i win....mines only 3.55!! (c:

Steve said...

I guess I need to stop flying and start biking across the country when I want to travel then!