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For the first time, with your help we are able to present a "climate neutral" event by offsetting the carbon produced through our weekend activities. Carbon dioxide emissions globally are causing the Earth's climate to change and warm, which will have catastrophic results if we do not act to reduce them. We each are leaving our mark on the environment, or a "carbon footprint." This footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide emissions are caused by the burning of fossil fuels: oil, coal and natural gas. Our cars, our houses, our offices, as well as the factories that produce our clothes, use energy generated by fossil fuels. Carbon offsets are a way to address this and reduce the carbon footprint.
Carbon offsets support projects that reduce carbon dioxide emissions—like energy efficiency, renewable energy or biomass projects. These projects have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, offsetting the emissions produced through our activities.
For Momentum 2006, we will be directing your contributions to Carbonfund.org, a non-profit that educates the public on climate change and provides carbon dioxide reductions. Specifically, to offset the carbon emissions of Momentum activities, we will be supporting two projects: Highmore Wind Farm in South Dakota and the Sequoia National Forest in California. For more information, see the Carbon Fund's website at www.carbonfund.org.
We thank you for your support of this "sustainable conference," and we applaud the Doubletree Hotel for accommodating our requests to help create a low impact conference (that will still have a big impact on our work for positive social change). We are pleased to reduce our environmental footprint as part of our ongoing commitment to create a sustainable, healthy world.
