ABC of Carbon Weekly Blog - C is for Carbon Neutral

When its carbon emissions are effectively reduced to zero through a combinationn of decreasing energy consumption, using renewable energy and purchasing carbon credits to offset the remainder, a business or induistry is said to be carbon neutral. To achieve this, they must manage to control their direct emissions and offset whatever other carbon dioxide they expend in producing and distributing their products and services. For example, the electricity they use in their office and/or factory, and the transport fuels used in service and delivery, must either come from clean energy alternatives(gas, solar, hydro or wind) or be offset. To be carbon neutral on an individual level requires a similar process. Energy saved or energy used from clean or green sources, reduces a person's carbon footprint - the carbon they have expended through travel, car use, home energy consumption and purchases. Carbon Neutral Ltd was started by Men of the Trees in 2001 as a way of helping the community and industry take responsibility for the effect of their greenhouse gas emissions on the environment. Since then, the organisation has planted hundreds of thousands of trees in some of the most environmentally vulnerable areas of Australia.