Is your Blog Carbon Neutral?

Our goal is to contribute our part in reducing the carbon footprint by raising awareness of the severe environmental damage caused by carbon emissions. One of our activities is to raise awareness of the carbon emissions resulting from the use of the internet - specifically of blogs. A blog with 15,000 visits a month has a yearly carbon dioxide emissions of 8lb. To neutralize these emissions we have created "My blog is carbon neutral" buttons so blogger s can demonstrate that they care about the environment and the carbon footprint of their blogs. We present them a small but nonetheless worthy solution to contribute to environmental issues. Our idea is to show possibilities to make a contribution to protect the environment.

To find out how you can participate please visit http://www.kaufda.de/umwelt/carbon-neutral/how-you-can-join
And how do we actually neutralize your blogs carbon footprint? We are planting trees in cooperation with the Arbor Day Foundation in Plumas National Forest in Northern California for our project to neutralize the carbon footprint of blogs. Thousands of wildfires burned down many national forests over the past ten years and 88.000 acres of Plumas' were destroyed by two fires in 2007. To help replanting we need the support of blogger s all over the world! For every participating blog we plant a tree. One blog - one tree.

Why do we do this? We are a German based company called kaufDA, which provides advertisement brochures of local stores online to help consumers search for specific products and find good deals in their neighborhood. This reduces the amount of brochures printed and so the project helps the environment by reducing unnecessary paper in mailboxes. An American on average receives 41 pounds of junk mail per year. This has the same carbon footprint as burning six gallons of gasoline.

We'd be glad to plant your tree! Help us and show that you care! Every tree counts!


Best wishes from Germany,

Christin

"Make it green!"- Team

Vietnam adopts Euro II standards to cut emissions

Vietnam today will implement Euro II emission standards for all new cars and motorbikes in a bid to reduce air pollution.


Trinh Ngoc Giao, head of the Vietnam Registration Administration, said while new vehicles must conform to Euro II standards, all road vehicles starting today will be subject to a compulsory verification of exhaust fumes emission whenever they undergo maintenance check-ups.

The required check on vehicles’ emissions will not increase the fee the check-up package, Giao said.

He said during the past two years of Euro II standards application in five cities – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Da Nang and Hai Phong – the new regulation has received support from the public and vehicle owners.

He also said inspectors from his agency would conduct spontaneous probes at local registration stations to verify emission standards and resolve negative issues, if any arise.

Euro II places a cap on emitted sulfur at 0.05 and limits benzene and aromatics content in fuel.

Sulfur is blamed for acid rain and lung problems.

Around 850,000 cars have been registered in Vietnam.