The reality of global warming, climate chaos, and peak oil has registered now with most of us, but what are we to do? As individuals, and business owners, we know that our daily activities create carbon emissions that are part of the problem...but wait. One potential way to help will be unveiled on Wednesday, August 30th from 10am to 10:30am in Bergen Park, right at the intersections of NW Market St., 22nd Ave. NW and NW Leary Way.

Everyone is invited to the launch of a ground-breaking effort to empower Ballard to be the first carbon neutral community in the nation. King County Councilman Larry Phillips, Seattle Councilman Richard Conlin, Steve Nicholas head of Seattle's Office of Sustainability and Environment, Ballard's own Washington State Representative Mary Lou Dickerson, will be on hand to introduce this concept. This launch event will be fun, quick, inspiring, and visual. Learn what you can do today to counteract and reduce your carbon footprint.

Becoming Carbon Neutral and striving to reduce is based on balance and responsibility. (Sort of on the order of taking out one's own trash & striving to reduce the amount.) Individuals, businesses and communities are empowered to achieve a net reduction in emissions today, while working to reduce their emissions over time.

It works like this. Using a carbon calculator, available via the AchieveNetGreen.org website, you can quickly determine your annual carbon footprint, followed by "offsetting" those emissions with a proportional tax-deductible contribution to Climate Trust, NetGreen's partner. Climate Trust, the leading and preeminent non profit organization dedicated to providing solutions to stabilize our rapidly changing climate, invests all contributions into high quality carbon offset projects that counteract the green house gas emissions of its funders.

You're probably asking just what are carbon offset projects?

Here is an example: at truck stops, diesel-powered 18 wheel tractor trailers sit idle all night running diesel compressors to heat cabins, or run microwaves and TVs. If the truck stop only had the capital to invest in electrical outlets for the trucks, all those diesel emissions could cease while clean electricity does the job of keeping the driver(s) happy.

Other examples of carbon offset projects include helping Climate Cool Concrete come into use, creating opportunities for energy efficiency upgrades, and innovative wind energy.

Given the level of emissions reductions that must be achieved to stabilize the climate, the growing sense of urgency for immediate action, and the societal cost savings that carbon offsets represent, the funding of carbon offset projects are an indispensable component of real climate change solutions.

So what can one person, one household, one business or one organization do? Check out NetGREEN @ www.AchieveNetGreen.org. Andrea Faste and Vic Opperman have become carbon neutral for about $200 each a year - less than $20 a month. Here in Seattle we are lucky to be able to exclude our electric use entirely, because City Light has already declared itself carbon neutral.

Once Carbon Neutral, how do we continue shrinking our carbon footprint? Keep studying those lists of energy savers, and do what you can given your unique needs. Take action to conserve energy, drive and fly less. Support Seattle City Light's green power by directing an extra payment on your electric bill ($3 to $12 per month) toward renewable power generated from sources such as the Stateline Wind Project in Eastern Washington. To learn more go to Seattle City Light's website (http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/light/).

Sustainable Ballard (http://www.sustainableballard.org ), NetGreen, and The Climate Trust urge everyone to Achieve NetGreen by becoming carbon neutral and striving to reduce carbon emissions day in and day out. Taking responsibility for our emissions is the right thing to do, and the charitable contribution we make this year, can be smaller and smaller as we continue finding ways to shrink our carbon footprints. For more information go to www.achievenetgreen.org OR contact Tracy Carroll @ 206.391.6744 or at tracy@achievenetgreen.org.