The media has been buzzing with the words 'carbon footprint' for some time now, and there have been numerous incentives to persuade people to calculate their domestic footprint in an attempt to encourage awareness about climate change. For many people it is a daunting task to try and calculate a figure, especially when finding out that a flight from England to Italy uses up a whole years worth of a personal carbon allowance. For this reason, the popularity of carbon footprint consulting has grown.
Carbon footprint consulting can not only point out where organisations and individuals are creating excess emissions, but they can also offer advice on how these emissions can be reduced. The importance of a reduction is paramount, especially as the European Union has been directed under the Kyoto Agreement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 8 per cent by 2010.
Although there have been a number of government legislations introduced to encourage a reduction, such as property owners holding Energy Performance Certificates, some of the most successful campaigns so far have been through popular media. There have been many infomercials that offer advice from carbon footprint consulting companies in order to encourage the general public to switch off electrical items, invest in energy saving light bulbs, recycle packaging and reuse carrier bags. The point is put across quite blatantly that saving energy saves money as well as the environment, which is an attention grabbing ploy that appears to be working well.
For commercial companies, the savings made through reducing emissions are enormous. Simple solutions such as installing solar panels for lighting can reduce electricity bills by thousands per year, and benefit the company under 'green initiatives' such as carbon offsetting programmes. Carbon Offsetting was introduced as a financial incentive for companies to reduce their greenhouse emissions, and make money whilst doing so.
This means that for every metric tonne of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of from a mixture of other greenhouse gasses, that a company reduces its output by, a carbon credit will be awarded. This credit can then be sold to companies that have reached their limit for carbon dioxide emissions, allowing them to emit more than the capped quota. This may appear to be a false economy, but it has gained support for the fact that it is encouraging many industries to reduce their emissions where they can, and is said to have reduced emissions each year by around 1.5 billion metric tonnes.
Author Resource:-
Anna Stenning is an expert on carbon footprint consulting having researched the dilemma of the environmental issue that face us today.
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