A carbon footprint is the direct effect that our actions, lifestyle and business operations have on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. All of our activities have a direct or indirect impact - contributing to the acceleration of global warming and irreparable climate change. Probably the biggest contributors to a carbon footprint are our travel needs and our electricity demands. For more than a century, we have relied on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas for our energy needs. The burning of these fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide - one of the most significant and abundant greenhouse gasses - into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere today are the highest they have been in 150,000 years.

A carbon footprint is a very powerful tool in understanding the impact of personal and professional behavior on global warming. Most people are shocked when they see the amount of CO2 their activities create. The world is warmer today than it has been in two thousand years. By the end of the century, if current trends continue, the global temperature will likely climb higher than at any time in the past two million years. Climate change is a reality and we are responsible for this change. To help stop global warming, the calculation and monitoring of your carbon footprint is essential.