Anyone who loves the outdoors certainly does not want to hear that their voyages can cause damage to Mother Nature. There's no need to hide from the fact that we all have a carbon footprint. Here's how you can do something about it - educate yourself about effects of greenhouse gas emissions, calculate your carbon footprint, and take a few easy steps towards offsetting it.
Your carbon footprint is defined as the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, that are released while you perform an activity, such as a road trip, and is usually expressed in terms of tons. Greenhouse gases cause the temperature of the planet to be warmer than it would be if they were not present, hence the term global warming. There are a number of greenhouse gases, but carbon dioxide is by far the most prominent. This is why it's especially important to calculate how much CO2 your activities are emitting and do something about it.
Most people are surprised to realize how much CO2 they emit on road trips or even during their daily routine. There are numerous ways to calculate your carbon footprint and this can be very helpful when you want to figure out ways to offset your carbon footprint. The RVIA recently released a report that assessed the amount of carbon dioxide that is released while on road trips. In their Carbon Footprint of RV Vacations they introduced a formula that can help you calculate the carbon footprint of your RV. Once you have this information you can determine how to offset it.
Offsetting your carbon footprint is easy. CarbonFootprint.com and CarbonFund.org allow you to donate to a program that invests in reforestation, renewable energy, environmental cleanup etc. It would cost you anywhere between $26 to $53 to offset the amount of emissions released on a ten day trip across 638 miles, depending on the program that you invest in. A pretty low price to pay for such a great benefit.
Remember that greenhouse gases are not only emitted by vehicles The Nature Conservancy has an online calculator that allows you to calculate the greenhouse gasses that are emitted by your entire family, taking into account how much you recycle to the foods that you eat. But you don't have to wait until those greenhouse gases have been emitted. Take a proactive role to reduce your carbon footprint - invest in solar panels, choose the right fuels, ensure you maintain your vehicle and run the generator less often.
It's important to understand the impact that greenhouse gases have on our planet. We want our future generations to be able to experience this planet the way that we have been able to. Perhaps our commitment to being responsible for our impact on the planet will provide younger generations with an appreciation of Mother Nature and our connection to her. This is why everyone should take the time to understand the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, calculate your carbon footprint, and take a few easy steps towards getting back on the right foot with our planet.
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