| Well, basically carbon offsetting helps you to offset the | | | | developed countries. Under Kyoto, the UK's target is to |
| carbon dioxide that you use when flying or driving etc | | | | cut its emissions by 12.5 percent below 1990 levels by |
| by planting trees or installing solar panels and thereby | | | | 2008-2012. However, the UK government is convinced |
| removing your contribution to global climate change. | | | | that the UK can and should go further. The Kyoto |
| You contribute to pollution by driving; you reduce the | | | | Protocol is only the first step. The Government has |
| pollution by planting trees! You are carbon neutral! | | | | therefore set a domestic goal to go further than the |
| What is Carbon Dioxide? | | | | Kyoto commitment and cut the UK's emissions of |
| Carbon Dioxide is an inevitable product of the way we | | | | carbon dioxide by 20 percent below 1990 levels by |
| all live today. It is produced primarily through the burning | | | | 2010. |
| of fossil fuels in: - | | | | You Can Make a Difference, This is How |
| • electricity generation | | | | You, your business or employer may be already taking |
| • the powering of vehicles, trains and aircraft | | | | steps to tackle their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at |
| • home heating and cooking (gas, wood, coal, | | | | source using renewable energy and efficiency |
| oil) | | | | measures wherever possible. An initiative that offers |
| Using Renewable Energy is one way of reducing the | | | | extra action for businesses to offset their remaining |
| amount of fossil fuel that we burn via homes and | | | | CO2 emissions through tree planting. |
| businesses. | | | | By supporting tree planting across the UK, businesses |
| Gases released into the atmosphere by human activity | | | | can help to create valuable woodland that will grow to |
| are forming an insulating barrier around the Earth, | | | | sequester (absorb and store) CO2 pollution and in so |
| preventing the natural release of heat from our | | | | doing, help with the fight against climate change. |
| atmosphere. There are a number of gases that are | | | | In addition to the environmental benefits of absorbing |
| held responsible for this process, which is sometimes | | | | atmospheric carbon as they grow and mature, |
| referred to as 'the greenhouse effect'. While methane | | | | woodland provides a rich and important habitat valued |
| and other gases contribute to the problem, the chief | | | | by wildlife and people alike. |
| culprit, by virtue of the volumes produced, is carbon | | | | By using a simple carbon calculator you can obtain an |
| dioxide. | | | | idea of how much carbon dioxide you, your family, |
| Currently, around one quarter of carbon emissions are | | | | your business are responsible for producing each year. |
| absorbed by the soil and one quarter by the oceans. | | | | Using data sources you can calculate how many trees |
| The Kyoto Protocol, negotiated by more than 160 | | | | you need to plant to offset or balance your carbon |
| nations, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by | | | | dioxide production. Your lifestyle can then be said to be |
| setting legally binding emissions reduction targets for | | | | carbon neutral or balanced. |