“American’s carbon footprint is expanding. With a growing population and an expanding economy, America’s settlement area is widening, and as it does, Americas are driving more, building more, consuming more energy, and emitting more carbon. Rising energy prices, growing dependence on important fuels, and accelerated global change make the nation’s growth patterns unsustainable.”
— Brookings Institute, Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of
Metropolitan America, May 2008

CARBON FOOTPRINT STATISTICS

• 84% of green house gas (GHG) is made up of carbon dioxide.
  Source: EPA.
• The building industry accounts for the most CO2 emissions by industry at approximately 43%. The next closest industry is transportation at 27%.  Source: US GHG Emissions Flow Chart EPA.
• So how and where we build becomes the most important factor in curbing US carbon emissions.
• The average American home produces 22,830 lbs of CO2 per year. Source: DOE
• There are approximately 126 million homes in the US which equates to an annual emissions from homes alone at approximately 1.3 billion metric tons of carbon. Source: US Census Bureau 2006
• Some of the most immediate and cost effective ways to curb carbon resides through good building technologies (i.e. better insulation, lighting, air conditioning, water heating.
  Source: McKinsey Consulting GHG Cost Abatement Curve
• Washington DC is ranked as the worst (100 out 100) for per capita carbon footprint of the 100 largest metro areas in the US.
  Source: Brooking Institute May 2008

In December 2007, the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC was published, summing up the views of more than 600 scientists, concluding that global warming is unequivocal and that there is a 90% certainty that man made emissions are causing or contributing to climate change. The actions we take over the next 3-5 years become increasingly important.

Educating Us All
This Carbon Neutral Story is about educating us all (industry leaders, policy makers, designers, engineers, contractors etc.) on how we start to build in better locations, through better design and through more sustainable practices. Please join us in this story.

• First, we must learn to build more efficiently using new technologies and building principles to reduce carbon emissions.
• Second, we must locate development more efficiently. This means creating communities where people of all income levels can live and work — and be less dependent on automobiles.

The pilot projects in Washington, DC and McLean, VA are two examples of how we do both.

Chapter of the Carbon Neutral Story

• June: The Importance of Location — Living with less
  dependence on cars.
• July: Recycling Materials — Making the most of what
  we already have.
• August: Design — Thriving with a smaller carbon footprint
• September: Energy Modeling/Smart Homes — Using smart
  design to consume less.
• October: Building Materials — Locally sourced,
  renewable materials.
• November: Sustainable education — Empowering
  the next generation.
• December: Municipality/Fairfax — Acknowledging the
  key role of local leaders.
• January: Water Conservation — Treating water as a precious resource.
• February: Geothermal/Solar — The ultimate sources
  of renewable energy.
• March: Native Landscaping — Greening the landscape.
• April: Sustainable Interior Design — Sustainable luxury indoors.
• May: Where do we go from here? Steps that we can all take today.

For more information on how you can be part of the Carbon Neutral Story please visit www.CO2freeliving.com or send us a message.