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The Department of Energy actually has a calculator to tell you how much greenhouse gases you produce on a daily basis.

WHAT IS A CARBON FOOTPRINT? The amount of greenhouse gas you generate by an activity or process. In other words, what impact you make on the environment measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide (C02). This calculator, compliments of the Department of Energy, can be found at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html and lets you calculate your own carbon footprint. How much greenhouse gas do you produce while going through your daily activities such as driving, electricity use, and heating your home?

WHAT EXACTLY ARE GREENHOUSE GASES? Bottom line: Without Greenhouse Gases to maintain Earth’s temperature, it would be too cold for habitation. We need Greenhouse Gases but…we’re tromping heavily with our carbon footprint boots and that’s making the temperature too warm. Hence, the Greenhouse Effect mutates into Global Warming and that’s taken us from “We really should consider renewable energy” to “We MUST implement renewable energy NOW”.

CARBON DIOXIDE IS A GAS SO IT’S HARD TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND METRIC “TONS” OF CO2…HOW MUCH IS THAT REALLY? The tonnage doesn’t really matter as much as what you can do to reduce that weight. The average homeowner who drives to work, comes home each evening to a household of four, and flies once a year on vacation has an average carbon footprint of 17 tons of C02. That’s not counting what you breathe out…that’s the just excess CO2 you’re using that, multiplied by millions, contributes to Global Warming.

On the flip side, by taking simple steps like changing your light bulbs, driving 10% less, buying Energy Star appliances, you can cut your personal damage from 17 to 7 tons…and that’s not even counting installing solar panels on your house or business!

By taking that additional solar step, you not only zero out your own personal carbon footprint but you create a SOLAR FOOTPRINT, which lessens the damaging effects of others. Then you are not only serving as a role model for others, but you’re negating their damage until they take responsibility for their own footprint.

TRANSFORM YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT INTO A SOLAR FOOTPRINT. If you own your own home, take advantage of the tax and other incentives available and install a Solar System on your own roof. Even if you rent, you can still be a powerful Solar Champion by urging your local businesses and schools to seriously consider taking their Renewable Energy efforts to the next level.

It can be done. It’s already begun. One footprint at a time.

Yoel Hanegbi
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/what-is-this-carbon-footprint-everyones-talking-about-1134381.html