Take the Slate Green Challenge with TreeHugger!
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 10.25.06
Feeling guilty about your personal contribution to the rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere? Perhaps you are wondering about the first step in reducing your emissions. That's easy: Drive less!
Gas-guzzling SUVs not only have a significant impact on the Earth, but also on your health. Did you know that the government (ahem, that's you, We the People) pays $0.02 in health care costs for every mile driven by a solo driver? That could add up to an extra latte a week, depending on your commute. Why not get to know your neighbors better and start a rideshare? Your planet, health, and caffeine addiction will thank you!
For more ways to curb your carbon appetite, join the Slate Green Challenge with TreeHugger. Beginning with a carbon emission footprint quiz, the challenge will continue with information on transportation (this week's topic), as well as fun facts on food, clothing, electricity, and holiday shopping. Join in anytime on the collective effort to reduce our overall footprint by 20 percent. Did we mention the prize? The first 500 people who complete the Challenge will receive a T-shirt from our generous friends and sponsor at I'm Organic. Happy dieting!
[Note: This post was written by Brittany Jacobs, TH intern extraordinaire on the Slate-TH project.]
This is absurd! This "test" doesn't even come close to measuring the carbon footprint that I wife and I generate. We walk or bicycle, use no fuel to heat or cool our home, use gas only to cook one small meal per day, use solar electric lighting, rise and retire with the sun, gorw almost all of our own food and buy therest locally at farmer's markets, to whic hwe walk.
This is not serious concern about carbon footprints!
I signed up and my CO2 was calculated at roughly 15K. During the first action quiz I was able to include info on my (existing) terra passes and it turns out that I just reduced my CO2 by 17K. um. what do I get by achieving a 120% reduction instead of a 20% reduction? ;)