As we’ve become more dependent on carbon-based fuels, we’ve seen a rapid increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2; from around 280 parts per million (ppm) before the industrial revolution, to 370 ppm today. If current trends of fossil fuel use continue the concentration of CO2 is likely to exceed 700 ppm by the end of this century. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this could lead to global warming of between 1.4 and 5.8°C, more frequent severe weather conditions and damage to many natural ecosystems. 

Some startling facts

• The United States accounts for less than 5% of the world population, but consumes 23% of the world’s electricity.
• The average home in Aspen emits 50,800 pounds of CO2 output per year.  (That’s equivalent to driving your car around the earth’s equator 1.94 times.)
• Every year, buildings are responsible for 39% of U.S. CO2 emissions, use 76% of the nation’s electricity, and account for 70% of all landfill waste.
• CO2 levels in the atmosphere today are 35% higher than the last 400,000 year average, which puts us at 40% of the level that caused mass extinction millions of years ago.
• Americans spend on average 90% of their time indoors, where the U.S. E.PA. reports that levels of pollutants commonly run 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor levels.
• There is a documented U.S. fresh water deficit of 3,700 billion gallons annually.