A colorless, odorless, non-poisonous gas produced by the burning of fossil fuels and is a normal part of our every day air. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps infrared radiation into our atmosphere and is a significant contributor to climate change.
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced by our personal or professional activities such as; heating and cooling our homes and businesses, driving, flying or using other electricity powered devices. Your Carbon Footprint is typically measured in equivalent metric tons of CO2 per year.
The act of balancing your personal Carbon Footprint through the purchase of Clean Energy Credits from renewable energy projects such as wind, biomass, solar and low-impact hydro. It is also known as “balancing your footprint”. For more information, please see our Quick Education section.
Clean Energy refers to renewable energy that quickly replaces itself and is in infinite supply. The term typically refers to energy generated by wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydro. Clean Energy stands in contrast to energy generated from coal, oil, or natural gas which are non-renewable resources and are major contributors to increased levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. See our EcoProjects section for more information on renewable energy information.
A Clean Energy Credit represents either: (1) the amount of new, clean energy your purchase has placed into the electric grid; or (2) the amount of carbon dioxide your purchase has removed from the atmosphere. In either case, one Clean Energy Credit is equivalent to offsetting one metric ton of carbon dioxide from your personal Carbon Footprint. Purchasing Clean Energy Credits establishes your personal, legal property right to the “clean attributes” associated with renewable energy or "carbon credits" from energy efficiency and carbon sequestration projects.
A verified carbon offset project that reduces carbon dioxide emissions. They can be one of three types: renewable energy, energy efficiency or sequestration.
The average weather for a particular region is typically taken over a thirty-year time period. Climate is not the same as weather. Rather, it is the average pattern of weather for a particular region. Climatic elements include precipitation, temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind velocity, fog, freezing rain and hailstorms, and other measures of weather.
Climate Change is defined as continuous changes in the Earth's climate over time. These changes can be caused by a number of factors but, most recently, much of the attention has been focused on human activities that lead to an increase of carbon dioxide emissions being released into the atmosphere. These activities include the burning of fossil fuels or changing the Earth’s surface through deforestation, urbanization or desertification. It can also occur from natural factors such as changes in the sun’s intensity or natural processes such as changes in ocean circulation.
Energy generated from non-renewable resources such as coal, oil or natural gas, which are major contributors to increased levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. It is also known as non-renewable energy.
Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in our atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor, among others. Greenhouse gases can be a significant contributor to climate change.
Global warming is the average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface, which can contribute to Climate Change. Global warming is typically used to refer to the warming that can occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases from human activity.
Energy created from "dirty" resources such as coal, oil, or natural gas, which are non-renewable and are major contributors to increased levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. It as also known as dirty energy.
Renewable Energy refers to clean energy that quickly replaces itself and is in infinite supply. The term typically refers to energy generated by wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydro. Renewable Energy stands in contrast to energy generated from coal, oil, or natural gas, which are non-renewable resources and are major contributors to increased levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Renewable Energy is also known as clean energy. See our EcoProjects section for more information on renewable energy.
