Fortune 500 companies go green!

Several Fortune 500 companies, such as Coca-Cola, Staples and Frito-Lay, are going green with zero-emission all-electric delivery trucks. The new Smith Newton electric delivery trucks are powered by lithium-ion batteries and they also convert the kinetic energy produced during braking into electric power.

With a top speed of 50 miles per hour and a range of over 100 miles, it is perfect for around-town deliveries, and makes a significant impact in smog reduction. Electric vehicles in general have lower operational and maintenance costs, better for the environment and reduce our dependency on foreign oil and fossil fuels.

What is your carbon footprint?

What is your carbon footprint? Huh, you ask? What is a carbon footprint and why should I care?

• What - Carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gases we individually produce in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.
• Why care - Two reasons: 1) Fossil fuels are limited - they are being used faster than they are formed (formation takes millions of years!), so they are referred to as non-renewable. 2) The rate we are burning fossil fuels is twice the rate that natural processes can only absorb, resulting in a net increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases that contributes to global warming. (Why care about global warming, you ask? That's another discussion....)

So, how do you figure out what your carbon footprint is and how to reduce it? Being a database techie geek, I found three notable website calculators, ranked by my preference:
#1 http://www.thecarbonaccount.com/
Easy to navigate. Definite cool factor.
#2 http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
Easy, big buttons.
#3 http://www.earthlab.com/carbonProfile/LiveEarth.htm?ver=14
Clumsy, but good tips.