“the buzz” among environmental-types is how one reduces their “carbon footprint”. what are they talking about? they are talking about global warming and climate change happening in part because of the massive combustion of fossil fuels combined with the destruction of the worlds forests by organizations, industry, government and individual households. the carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide generated by these groups as part of their everyday operations. according to fightglobalwarming.com the average american produces almost 18 tons of carbon dioxide per year. that’s 42,000 pounds! as responsible citizens of the earth, there are things we can do to  help slow down its destructive transformation.

here are a few ways to cut your emissions and get closer to “carbon neutral”, thus becoming a member of the global warming solution instead of part of the problem. you can also think of it as a way to save yourself some money.

1. problem: electricity (usage):

televisions, dvd and video players, cell phone chargers, audio components and other devices burn 5% of america’s residential electricity. lower your watt usage by using a power strip to turn multiple devices off when not in use and when you are away. see the “guide to greener living”  at nrdc.org.

carbon savings: minus 2500 pounds

2. problem: electricity (hardware):

when replacing older appliances with new, look for the environmental protection agency’s energy star label (energystar.gov), which designates high efficiency in more than 40 kinds of household appliances. the easiest switch to make is to replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs, which use only a quarter of the energy.

carbon savings: minus up to 2500 pounds

3. problem: renewable energy:

solar technology has made great advances to become more  efficient, and new state regulations and federal tax breaks can help soften the high startup costs that have prevented its widespread usage. the options range from solar water heaters (around $2500) to photovoltaic arrays that convert solar energy to electricity and can power your entire house (starting at $15,000). in some states you can connect to the grid and bank electricity with the power company for credit. visit findsolar.com to find a local  dealer who will know what technology works best in your area and how to benefit from incentive programs.

carbon savings: minus up to 10,000 pounds. subtract another 1000 pounds if you use a clothesline to dry your laundry as often as possible.

4. problem: heating and cooling:

the more efficient your home is, the greater your contribution to lowering the emissions. this can be accomplished by insulating your walls and attic; using double pane replacement windows, and caulking cracks in your  floor s and windows. to determine where you should start in your efficiency renovation you need to do an energy audit. the department of energy’s web site, eere.energy.gov/consumer provides general information and guide lines that should be followed. if you would like to do your own energy audit, a “how-to” guide is available at hes.lbl.gov. for information on having a professional audit contact your local utility or the residential energy services network at natresnet.org. in most cases, an audit can qualify you for tax credits in addition to the savings on your utility bills. (energytaxincentives.org).

carbon savings: minus up to 5000 pounds

5. problem: your car:

if you don't mind being on a waiting list, buy a hybrid car that gets 45 mpg.

carbon savings: if you currently are driving a vehicle that gets 18 mpg (like i am), this will cut your emissions by about 60 percent.

6. problem: traveling:

to offset your commercial flights invest in green  energy  organizations that plant trees or support green energy practices. the average domestic flight produces the equivalent of 1700 pounds of carbon dioxide per person!  you can get more information on these carbon offset programs by visiting web sites such as www.betterworldclub.com, carbonfund.org, and e-bluehorizons.net. it costs about $11 to offset your domestic flight and $22 for an international one.

carbon savings: minus  up to 35,000 pounds

7. problem: attaining “green status”

if you want to get to zero carbon emissions you can buy additional carbon offsets at atmosclear.org, nativeenergy.com, carboncounter.org, and drivinggreen.com.

carbon savings: reducing your carbon dioxide emissions by 15,000 pounds will cost you about $60, and you are “living green” if you’ve reduced between 10,000 to 15,000 pounds.