Kick Carbon Ass

I've always been a fan of planet earth. Whether it was Captain Planet, Ferngully, recycling or the ecological footprint, I couldn't help but get excited about environmentally conscious ideas. I've been looking for a way to do my part and signed up to do the Nature Challenge with the David Suzuki Foundation (http://www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/). Although I try to opt for public transit or walking most of the time, I know that I will inevitably be releasing carbon out into the atmosphere. Even if I became a hippy nudist camper out in the woods, I would still need to produce some carbon to live. So aside from trying to support socially and environmentally friendly organizations (www.fairware.ca), I discovered the possibility of individual carbon offsetting. There are a few websites (www.carbonfund.org, www.terrapass.com, www.driveneutral.org) that allow you to calculate your carbon emissions and your required donation to offset those emissions. An offset will go towards renewable energy development and thus offset your carbon emissions in the long run. It strikes me as a great idea, and a concrete way for individuals to kick some carbon ass.