Carbon Footprint Information Center

A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gasses our actions release into the atmosphere. The phrase “carbon footprint” is often used as shorthand to describe our level of environmental responsibility. However, even if we believe that we’re living environmentally responsible lifestyles, there are quite a few actions that we commonly take that make the size of our carbon footprint more expansive than it needs to be. Americans have the largest carbon footprint in the world, with the average footprint for a single person being 16 tons of emissions.

At Forest Founders, we are passionate about raising awareness of carbon accountability and encouraging sustainable, environmentally friendly lifestyle changes. The following online references offer information about how you can effectively minimize your carbon footprint.

• While carbon-emitting commercial interests do have financial and public relations incentives to adopt green technologies, not enough industrial organizations are transitioning to carbon-neutral operations. If you’re looking for ways to encourage large-scale adoption of environmentally responsible business practices, this Emissions Tax informational offers one strategy for effectively forcing large-scale industrial polluters to pay for their environmental transgressions. https://www.emissionstax.org/
• What is a carbon tax? It’s effectively a tax per ton on greenhouse gas emissions for both businesses and consumers. Learn how carbon taxes differ from emissions taxes and cap-and-trade programs, how carbon taxes have been employed in countries around the world, and whether greenhouse gas emissions have lowered as a consequence. https://www.c2es.org/content/carbon-tax-basics/
• For a more detailed analysis of carbon taxes, this informational from the Tax Policy Center & Brookings Institute offers an examination of how carbon tax revenue could be used, how a carbon tax would affect different economic groups, and the extent to which carbon taxes would be passed on to customers. https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-carbon-tax
• Carbon taxes might offer significant environmental benefits and even help to improve air and water quality in regions throughout the U.S., but what about the economic impact? The Tax Foundation offers this assessment of carbon taxes and how the use of carbon tax revenue and the implementation of employee payroll tax cuts can offset potential negative employment effects. https://taxfoundation.org/carbon-tax/
• Only 19 states and Puerto Rico have either statutory greenhouse gas reduction or reporting requirements, but only 15 states and Puerto Rico have legally binding emissions reduction goals. This National Conference of State Legislatures publication examines different states’ greenhouse gas reduction policies, and how effective they have been in lowering overall carbon output. https://www.ncsl.org/research/energy/greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-targets-and-market-based-policies.aspx
• Is your business working towards carbon neutrality? Environmentally responsible business practices not only help promote sustainability, but also help businesses remain competitive. Carbon Footprint Ltd is an organization that supports businesses’ sustainability initiatives. With in-depth experience working with businesses across sectors, Carbon Footprint gives clients the tools and resources they need to track and lower their carbon output. https://www.carbonfootprint.com/
• Human beings are depleting natural resources at an astonishing rate — humans consume more energy and resources than the planet can efficiently and viably produce. The Global Footprint Network is a nonprofit organization founded by scientists that works to manage the planet’s valuable resources more effectively and sustainably. https://www.footprintnetwork.org/
• If you’ve ever wanted to know exactly how much carbon is being released at any given time throughout the world, the Global Carbon Atlas offers a tool that provides the volume of emissions from each nation going back as far as 1960! http://www.globalcarbonatlas.org/en/content/welcome-carbon-atlas
• Cambridge Carbon Footprint is an organization dedicated to helping raise awareness of the threat of climate change and empowering people and communities with the knowledge and support they need to lower their carbon footprints and live greener and more environmentally responsible lifestyles. The network offers free events and trainings that can help you reduce your energy and resource consumption. https://cambridgecarbonfootprint.org/
• Climate change is negatively impacting global biodiversity, which is threatening the survival of the world’s forests and marine life, as well as depleting natural resources. For more than 30 years, Conservation International has helped to conserve and even restore over two million square miles of land and ocean habitats in over 70 countries. https://www.conservation.org/
• The Environmental Protection Agency was founded to leverage the power of the federal government to ensure the health of our lands, waterways, air, and oceans. For 50 years, the EPA has played a pivotal role in protecting our environment through the development and implementation of important environmental regulations. Learn more here: https://www.epa.gov/
• If you’re interested in participating in projects that help reduce greenhouse gasses, CarbonFund.org is an organization founded to support the reduction of global carbon emissions through tree planting initiatives, carbon offset project development, and climate change education and awareness. https://carbonfund.org/