In our last “How To Go Green” article, we tried to define what to “go green” meant. This time we will look at the term “carbon footprint” and what it means to you. The simple equation is: the lifestyle we choose contributes to the production of greenhouse gases, directly or indirectly. Once we can measure it, we can work to reduce it.

So, what evidence do we have that global warming is occurring and is not a natural event? Does this repeat over long periods or is it a new phenomenon? Most of the articles I have found seem to link back to a few oceanographers’ studies and the study of the ice pack.

This is some great information, but the amount of samples/history we have is very small in comparison to the earth’s 4.54 billion years. Take the recorded age of the ice pack and divide it by the earth’s age and you get about .01. percent. Now .01 percent is the sample size we are basing the theory of the earth’s climate getting warmer. If we use the recorded temperature data, it is even smaller at .00004 percent sample rate.

Not very compelling, but mind you, we use smaller samples to tell us the amount of poison in a contaminated area, or the percentage of gas in the earth’s atmosphere. So there is no reason to ignore the evidence based on its sample size.

What we do need to be careful of is how we use this information. I will never buy in to the doom and gloom attitude. Nor will I go with the “so what” group. I choose the group that acknowledges that there is a cause and effect in our every action. That when I go out shopping I take one trip, not ten; and when I pass a light that is unnecessarily lit, I choose to turn it off.

New developing technology will also help, such as painted-on solar cells, windmills, and hybrid cars and other forms of transportation. Remember just a few years ago? We were talking about major new investment in power plants, and now you hardly hear about it. Could it be the use of the new products?

I know without much checking that power consumption has dropped with new LCD TVs and LCD workstation monitors, and the new options in lighting.

So what is your personal carbon footprint and how can you reduce your share? I have linked to a free carbon calculator resource for your use. Check out the link in my author resource box, and start reducing your carbon footprint today.