Yes, the terms carbon footprints and global warming really are popping up everywhere, and you may be thinking "What the heck IS a carbon footprint?!" or maybe "My shoes are not black!" Well the term "carbon footprint" actually has nothing to do with your feet. A carbon footprint is the total amount of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) and other greenhouse gases produced during the life of a product or service. This translates to: the amount of junk you are leaving in the environment after doing or using "x." Now you may be thinking "Oh, greenhouse gases…those are what help the flowers in a greenhouse grow, right?" And actually, no, believe it or not, greenhouse gasses have nothing to do with a greenhouse. They are the part of the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect (which, without going into a long scientific explanation, is basically the way the earth stays warm). Some greenhouse gasses are a natural part of the atmosphere and are there to help to regulate the temperature on earth. Others come directly from human activities, like the burning of fossil fuels (for example petroleum), and are increasing in the atmosphere exponentially. This continuous increase of greenhouse gas concentration has directly resulted in global warming.

"And, what exactly is global warming?" Well if you haven't seen an Inconvenient Truth, you may still be a little confused about what global warming really means. The term global warming is used to describe the continued increase in the average temperature of both the Earth's atmosphere and it's oceans during recent decades…and its projected continuation. Global warming is directly caused by the increase in greenhouse gas emissions made by man. And that basically means, the earth is getting hotter, TOO hot, and it's because of human actions. The increasing temperatures are expected to cause major changes on the planet, including: the melting of the polar ice caps, a rise in sea level, the dying off of coral reefs, species extinctions, increased intensity of extreme weather, increased spread of disease, and the list goes on and on. Sound scary? Well luckily there are things we can do to offset carbon emissions! Just like human actions started the problem, our actions can also help to slow it down…and eventually put a stop to it. There are countless ways to reduce carbon footprints both at home and while traveling. Want to learn more?  Check our blogs often for tips to green up your life!