Insight Web Extra
October 2009—The
“Make an Impact” Web site jointly developed by
Entergy Corp. and
The Pew Center on Global Climate Change provides tools for calculating your household’s greenhouse gas emissions and tips for reducing them. It also shows how you can save a little money while you’re helping the planet.
“Climate change refers to the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the world’s ecology, including global warming, changes in habitat and rising sea levels. According to the National Academy of Sciences, there is sufficient scientific understanding of the problem to warrant taking steps to protect against it. “Human actions over the next few decades will have a major influence on the magnitude and rate of future warming,” the academy said in a 2008 booklet.
Although Earth’s climate has varied throughout its history—the Ice Age is a good example—NAS said scientists studying climate change have “a high level of confidence” that the mean temperature of the planet’s surface was higher in the last part of the 20th century than at any other time in the past 400 years. The warming trend appears to have started around the time of the Industrial Revolution, and greater changes have been observed over land masses than over the seas—two indications that human activity is the main contributor. Scientists project that the Earth’s temperature will rise at least at least 2 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100—and possibly as much as 11 degrees (1.1 degrees to 6.4 degrees Celsius).
Numerous species of wildlife, such as polar bears confronting a shrinking ice pack, are seeing the effects of climate change in their daily lives. For most humans, the problem is less tangible—but more and more people want to know how they can help.
WEB SITE SHOWS HOW YOU CAN 'MAKE AN IMPACT'
Entergy Corp., one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, also is one of the cleanest, in part because of its portfolio of nuclear power plants. The company has committed to conserving natural resources in as many ways as possible and to sharing information with customers and employees on how they can help. Last summer, Entergy partnered with The Pew Center on Global Climate Change to launch an educational Web site—“Make an Impact”—where adults and children alike can find tips for reducing their environmental impact.
“An increasing number of our employees and customers have asked what actions they could take to offset their carbon footprint and how they can best teach their children about making smart energy and environmental decisions,” said Kay Arnold, Entergy’s vice president of public affairs. “We feel it’s important to provide them with the tools to understand and manage their environmental impact because energy efficiency is both an easy way to reduce energy cost and the quickest route to lower carbon dioxide emissions.”
The heart of the Web site is a “footprint calculator,” which allows visitors to develop estimates or more detailed calculations of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their households. The online calculator was developed for the Pew Center by The Loreti Group. It includes emissions of three types of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, all of which result from the combustion of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide is the most important of the greenhouse gases.
Users can calculate the emissions footprint associated with their personal activities related to home, transportation and recreational activities and identify ways to reduce their footprint while saving money. The Web site also features stories from Entergy employees what they are doing to make a positive impact on the environment.
The Make an Impact Web site was funded by Entergy through an environmental stewardship grant to the Pew Center. The Web site complements Entergy’s comprehensive environmental actions, including its commitment to stabilize carbon dioxide emissions, restore coastal wetlands, promote energy efficiency, improve communities and encourage recycling.
—Read more articles in Nuclear Energy Insight and Insight Web Extra.