How big is your Carbon Foot Print?

Carbon Foot Print-what is that you may ask? It is a representation of the effect human activities have on the climate in terms of the total amount of greenhouse gases produced (measured in units of carbon dioxide). In laymens terms--the amount of carbon dioxide a person or household produces by the use of electricity, fuel oil, natural gas, and gasoline. Some things that contribute to "your" carbon footprint are;

• Driving a vehicle
• Turning on lights
• Using any electrical appliance
• Cooling and heating your home

So, why does the size of your carbon footprint matter to you or anyone else? Well, greenhouse gases are contributing to the changes in our earths atmosphere. Did you notice how warm this past January was, perhaps your children notice there wasn't any snow at all this winter. Maybe you remember how hot last summer was or the increase number of hurricanes over the past couple of years. There are plenty of published scientific reports stating why the climate is changing and just as many saying the climate is not changing. There is a plethara of information on the subject of global warming that one can peruse. Since there has been so much published on global warming and climate change perhaps we should pay attention to our carbon footprint.

Think about it, what could it hurt if we paid attention to our carbon footprint? Nothing, we might actually save some money by not driving as much, keeping our lights turned off when we aren't in room being used, and keeping our thermostats a degree warmer in the summer and a degree cooler in the winter.

Come back for more tips on what you can do to reduce your carbon foot print.