Home Bound, Carbon Lite

Have you calculated your carbon footprint yet? Have you figured out how to get that number down?

There's more that you could do, a laundry list of ideas that you probably haven't yet considered. Minister John Gormley is ready with some simple suggestions to help us all decrease our contribution.

1. Become a vegetarian.

Eat only vegetables, and you can reduce the amount of CO2 that you exude. Avoid meat and the world will require fewer domesticated animals with all their flatulence, to say nothing of the CO2 that the beasts give off with every exhalation. The meat industry trots around the globe on enormous carbon feet, and it's up to each and every citizen to do their bit by joining the vegetable squad.

1. Sell your car.

Walk or bike or take public transportation wherever you go. That's such an obvious solution, it's a wonder more people don't follow suit. Vehicle emissions are a large source of pollutants, and you'd shrink your Yeti-sized carbon footprint in no time if you quit driving. Naturally, if you've purchased a house in the far-flung suburbs, you'll want to sell it immediately, unless your boss will be understanding and allow you to work from home. Otherwise, you'll have to quit your job and find another line of work that will let you lower your CO2.

3. Don't fly.

Avoid the airline industry like the carbon plague that it is. Stay away from planes at all costs. If you must go to Europe for a holiday, go by wind-powered schooner or hire a crew to man some oars. As Mr. Gormley has noted, "...once you step on a plane your CO2 emissions go through the roof." You don't want that, do you?

So stay at home and tend your vegetable garden. And by all means, try not to exhale.