carbon emissions

And loving it!

This morning I woke up to find I had been given the most wonderful gift by the Brighter Planet folks.

Brighter Planet, who helps people reduce and manage their carbon footprints, has decided to give fantastic FREE green gifts this year and best of all, they want to share these gifts with us!

Brighter Planet has allocated 25 Carbon Neutral days for KSW readers. Claim your Carbon Neutral certificate by following the link – for a limited time – you may even have a chance to pass this good deed along to someone else. This offer is first come, first serve so be sure to get yours before its too late

* This is a great stocking stuffer idea or a kind gift to stick in a christmas card.

Here’s a few words about this terrific campaign:

Forget fruitcake. This year, you can spread your holiday cheer by giving presents that contribute to the fight against climate change. The One Day campaign gives people the opportunity to give the gift of carbon neutrality for one day this holiday season. Brighter Planet will donate 136 lbs. of carbon offsets—used to fund renewable energy projects—to each One Day participant.

What’s One Day Worth?

The average American emits 136 pounds of carbon dioxide each day. About 36 pounds come from driving, flying, and other travel. Another 22 pounds come from heating, cooling, and powering our homes. The final 78 pounds come from producing, transporting, and disposing of all the stuff we buy, and from shared services like schools and street lights. 136 pounds would fill 5,000 balloons — imagine releasing that every day.

“This year, people are looking for low-cost, environmentally conscious ways to spread holiday cheer,” said Patti Prairie, CEO of Brighter Planet. “Although one day of carbon-free living is not your typical stocking stuffer, it costs consumers nothing, is a snap to send, and says we can give the gift of our planet to future generations. By participating in ONE DAY and following these conservation tips, people can make a very positive impact on the environment at a time when it needs it the most. “

Lighten up on lighting

Use more efficient LED holiday lights, which require only 10 percent as much energy, or install an automatic timer that turns the lights on only when needed – between dark and bedtime.

Cool your house; cool the planet

Turn down the thermostat when possible – 1 degree will save 136 pounds of carbon emissions in 2 months; 5 degrees will save 136 pounds in just a few weeks. 

Give Green

Give creative gifts like donations to charity in someone’s name or EnergyStar rated electronics. The method of shopping (online vs. driving around) and wrapping gifts (recycled paper, newspaper, blankets, etc) can reduce waste too. 

Audit your Energy

Turn a home energy audit into a fun family activity. Have the kids search the house high and low, and compete to find the most inefficiencies. An audit that saves just 1 percent of home energy usage would reduce a home CO2 footprint by 215 pounds annually. 

Cook carbon‐light

Consider a lower-impact vegetarian holiday meal, cook dishes together in the oven, run the dishwasher only when full, and cool foods outside to achieve major energy savings.