A deadly heat wave set or tied 359 daily high-temperature records over the last week, along with 709 records for the warmest overnight low temperature. In the past 30 days, 1,403 daily high-temperature records and 2,856 records for warmest overnight low temperature have been set or tied. 90 million Americans were under heat warnings and advisories on Sunday. The city of Boston hit 100 degrees for the first time ever this summer. Of course, burning fossil fuels is one of the leading causes of climate change.
NASA concludes that “human activity is the cause of increased greenhouse gas concentrations”. Since 1970, global CO2 emissions have increased by about 90%. As of 2018, over 60% of electricity in America was generated by burning fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. Carbon dioxide made up nearly 80% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2020.
Transportation makes up about 1/3rd of our carbon dioxide emissions through the combustion of fossil fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, to transport people and goods. In 2020, generating electricity was the second largest source accounting for almost another 1/3rd of emissions. The final 1/3rd of American carbon dioxide emissions is released through a combination of industry, residential & commercial sources and other causes.
It is possible to reduce your carbon footprint through the use of Carbon Offsets. An offset through Carbonfund will help you reduce your impact on the planet. A Lifestyle Offset is a great way to neutralize the 50,000 pounds of carbon emissions generated by the average American. A Household Carbon Offset is specifically targeted at mitigating the emissions generated based on the square footage of your home. Vehicle Offsets are tailored to the estimated fuel economy of your car. You should consider an Air Travel Offset based on your trip mileage to counteract your flying footprint.
Carbonfund provides these offsets by supporting carbon reduction projects all over the world. They have supported more than 240 projects in 28 countries and 42 American states. The types of projects that Carbonfund supports are Renewable Energy, Forestry and Energy Efficiency. These projects have helped Carbonfund offset over 40 billion pounds of carbon emissions. They have also planted over 1.6 million trees in an effort to protect forests by fighting deforestation.