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Not for Reproduction Copyright 2008 QNotes Not for ReproductionEarthTalkQ - L I V I N Gdirector.“Our goal isn’t aboutconvincing you to buy a hybridfrom the editors of E/The Environmental Magazineor retrofit your house with solarpanels; our goal is to introduceMeasuring andcimprovingoyour ‘carbonpfootprint’r i g h tyou to easy, simple ways that youas an individual can reduce yourEd. Note: This new column will replace, in part, pare to similar households across the 28carbon footprint.”Q-Notes’ regular Health and Wellness column.In the coming weeks, we’ll also debut a newfaith and values column.Dear EarthTalk:How can I measure—and then improve—my overall “carbon footprint?” What are themajor areas of one’s daily life that one measures?Andy Fusco, Passaic, NJWith global warming dominating so manylargest urban areas in the U.S. Some of theresults are surprising. For example, residentsof eco-aware San Francisco tend to have biggercarbon footprints than those in more conservativeTampa, Florida. The reason: SanFrancisco has a higher cost of living and colder,wetter winters (requiring more fossil-fuelderived heat).Another great carbon footprint calculatorOther green groups and corporations,includingCarbonFootprint.com,CarbonCounter.org, ConservationInternational, The NatureConservancy and British OilGiant BP, among others, also offercarbon calculators on their websites.And CarbonFund.org evenheadlines today, it’s no surprise that many of is available at EarthLab.com, an online “climatecrisis community”allows you to assess your carbonus are looking to reduce2the amount of carbon0 0that has partnered8footprint—and then offers youdioxide and other greenhouse gases our activitiesproduce.and other high-profile groups, companies and sions by investing in clean ener-with Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection the ability to offset such emis-By assessing how much pollution each of celebrities to spread the word that individual gy initiatives.your individual actions generates—be it settingyour thermostat, shopping for groceries, against global warming. Users just take a Cool Climate Calculator,actions can make a difference in the fight Further Readingcommuting to work or flying somewhere for three-minute survey and get back a carbon www.berkeley.edu/calculator.html;vacation—you can begin to see how changing footprint score, which they can save and EarthLab, www.earthlab.com;a few habits here and there can significantly update as they work to reduce their impact. CarbonFootprint.com, www.carbonreduce your overall carbon footprint. Luckily The site provides some 150 lifestyle change fooprint.com; CarbonCounter.org,for those of us who want to see how we measureup, there are a number of free online car-from hanging your clothes to dry to sending International, www.conservation.org;suggestions that will cut carbon emissions— www.carboncounter.org; Conservationbon footprint calculators to help figure out postcards instead of letters to taking the bike The Nature Conservancy,just where to start changing.c oinstead of thepcar to work a few daysra week. www.nature.org;iBP, www.bp.com.g"Howhbig is your footprint?tA number of web-basedOne of the best is the University of“Our calculator is an important first step Got an environmentalresources can help you assess the environmentalimpact of your personal activities and lifestyle andCalifornia at Berkeley’s Cool Climatein educating people about where they are, question?help you make improvements that will positivelyCalculator. The free web-based tool takes into then raising their awareness about what they Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/Theimpact the planet."account daily driving mileage and grocery and can do to make easy, simple changes that will Environmental Magazine, P.O. Boxelectricity expenses, among other factors, to lower their score and positively impact the 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit itemail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columnsassign a carbon score, which users can com-planet,” says Anna Rising, EarthLab’s executive at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/; or at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. ◗c o p r i g h t2 0 0 8c o p r i g h tSEPTEMBER 20 . 2008 • QNotes 33Not for Reproduction Copyright 2008 QNotes Not for Reproduction