| When you're planning to green your home or | | | | power a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours - and |
| business, one of the terms you'll hear often is | | | | that's not even including the energy it would take |
| "reducing your carbon footprint." What does this | | | | to heat that water! |
| mean, and why is it important? | | | | What Happens to Your Trash after Pickup? |
| Your carbon footprint is one way of measuring | | | | On the average, each American generates |
| your impact on the earth. It represents the total | | | | roughly 4.72 pounds of trash per day, of which |
| amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse | | | | only about 1.5% was recycled. If the rest is |
| gases that are generated as a result of your | | | | hauled to a landfill, it contributes to your carbon |
| lifestyle, business operations, and daily activities. It | | | | footprint by generating a volatile gas. It's a |
| can include direct factors such as: | | | | particularly toxic combination of greenhouse |
| - the kind of fuel you use to heat your home | | | | gases, about 40-60% methane, with the |
| - the efficiency of your HVAC system | | | | remainder being mostly carbon dioxide (CO2), with |
| - the kind of fuel your car uses, and its efficiency | | | | varying amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, water |
| - the kind of lawnmower, leaf-blower, tiller, etc. | | | | vapor, sulfur and hundreds of other pollutants, as |
| you use - gas, electric, or battery-powered? | | | | well as inorganic contaminants like mercury and |
| - ...and so forth But your carbon footprint isn't | | | | occasionally even radioactive contaminants such |
| limited to the gases that are emitted by the | | | | as tritium (radioactive hydrogen). |
| machines and appliances you personally operate. | | | | How Far Has Your Food Traveled? |
| Like karma, it also reflects your global impact | | | | In most American supermarkets, we expect to |
| through things you pay for, but do not do directly. | | | | see fresh produce throughout the year, |
| Just to give four examples: | | | | regardless of the season where we live. In fact, |
| How Is Your Electricity Generated? | | | | seasonal produce at roadside stands and farmers' |
| The vast majority --98% percent of energy | | | | markets are a treat by comparison! But what's |
| companies use a mix of nonrenewable power | | | | the cost of this year-round harvest? You guessed |
| sources: coal, natural gas, petroleum, and nuclear | | | | it - the emissions of countless ships, planes and |
| energy, and large hydropower. A few others | | | | trains as our fruits and veggies are transported to |
| provide energy generated through renewable | | | | us from around the world. To give you an idea of |
| sources. | | | | the impact you can have: just by eating local food |
| How Much Energy Do You Consume by Turning | | | | once a week, you'll be saving 2.5 tons of CO2! |
| On the Faucet? | | | | And of course you won't just be fighting global |
| Public water supply and treatment facilities use an | | | | warming...you'll be gaining the whole Farmer's |
| average of 56 billion kilowatt hours of energy per | | | | Market or co-op experience, going to "market |
| year - enough to power 5 million homes for that | | | | day" with your neighbors and local farmers every |
| same period. At that rate, running your faucet for | | | | week! |
| just five minutes consumes enough energy to | | | | |