from ecomatcher.com

Impacts of climate change are evident across the globe. Here in the Bay Area, we are experiencing increasing temperatures, sea level rise, deeper droughts, wildfire and associated smoke for days and weeks in the summer and fall. Biodiversity has been declining worldwide, with even greater losses as our climate changes and species are unable to adapt. Many feel growing anxiety as a result of the knowledge that conditions will worsen in time.

Action must be taken now to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) experts say strong and sustained reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases, could quickly make air quality better, and in 20 to 30 years global temperatures could stabilize.

What can we each do to help reduce carbon emissions? In this webinar, Dr. Chris Jones, Director of the Cool Climate Network at the University of California, helped point us in the right direction.

Participants were guided through the online Berkeley Carbon Calculator and introduced to resources which help us understand our own carbon footprint relative to state and national averages. The Berkeley carbon calculator is used by thousands of people throughout North America to understand their emissions sources and make impactful lifestyle changes. Is your carbon footprint driven primarily by travel, home energy, food, things you buy, or services? 

Try out the Berkeley Carbon Calculator, and check out the recording of the webinar below.

Chris Jones is Director of the CoolClimate Network at U.C. Berkeley. He is a leading expert in

carbon footprint analysis, the design of behavior-based programs and regional climate policy.

CoolClimate’s mission is to activate, educate, motivate and empower individuals, businesses and

communities to dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions. The carbon footprint software

Jones designs have been adopted by hundreds of businesses, non-governmental organizations,

and communities internationally with millions of individual users. His research informs community

and state-level climate policy and is widely cited in academic and popular publications. Jones is

currently serving his 11th year as Program Chair of the Behavior, Energy and Climate Change

(BECC) Conference. He received his Ph.D. in Energy and Resources at U.C. Berkeley in 2014,

and also holds an M.S. in Energy and Resources and an M.A. in Latin American Studies, both

from U.C. Berkeley, and a B.A. in Politics from U.C. Santa Cruz.