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Program Overview|Let's Get Started!|Beyond the Workbook
Welcome to the Low Carbon Diet program!  The City of Park City is sponsoring this initiative to address our local carbon footprint while also promoting a stronger and more resilient community. 

While large-scale challenges like global climate change are clearly daunting, it is also clear that each action we take has the ability to either be part of the solution or a contributor to the problem.  It is, after all, the aggregate of all our individual actions which will create the future we leave for the next generation.  It is in this spirit that we call upon you and your household to join us in being part of the solution, one pound of CO2 at a time.

Check out the sections below for more information about the Low Carbon Diet program in Park City.  There are links on the right-hand side of this page to help you navigate through program content.

What is the Low Carbon Diet?

First off, you should know that the Low Carbon "Diet" doesn't relate strictly to food!  The Low Carbon Diet is a community-based program, and accompanying workbook, that was developed by the Empowerment Institute in WoodstockNY. The goal of the “diet” is to guide households through a variety of conservation and efficiency measures with the end goal of reducing CO2 emissions by at least 5,000 lbs. annually per household. The program incorporates numerous methods for reducing emissions, including those related to behavioral change, energy efficiency upgrades, water consumption, waste and recycling, transportation, and dietary choices.

 

In addition to providing a pragmatic Low Carbon Diet workbook, the program relies on peer-to-peer interactions and engaging residents to catalyze emissions improvements both in their own households and in the broader community. Through Save Our Snow, and similar local efforts, the Park City community has demonstrated a strong willingness to volunteer their time and energy towards environmental initiatives. The Low Carbon Diet provides an opportunity to harness this enthusiasm and empower citizens to make a difference in their household and beyond.


Why Focus on CO2 Emissions?

While climate change has brought CO2 to the forefront, CO2 emissions from fossil fuel energy sources have always been the common denominator in a broad variety of social, environmental, and economic issues.  Some of these issues are briefly summarized below:
 

The Carbon Denominator
 

        Energy costs paid by the community, exposure to inflationary pressures induced by a finite resource, and energy intensity of economic output

 

        Reliance on finite, often imported, fossil fuel energy sources that consume large amounts of fresh water

 

        Smog, particulates, and other local community pollution levels, in addition to numerous other toxic pollutants

 

        Costly social impacts, such as to public health, that occur during the extraction, refining, and ultimate consumption of fossil fuels

 

        Ocean acidification, fossil fuel extraction in sensitive environments leading to ecosystem disruption, and other serious environmental issues such as climate change


What does my Household Footprint Look Like?

There are a number of carbon calculators available on the web to help measure the current size of your household's footprint.  In addition to the monthly carbon calculators available on ParkCityGreen.org, check out this simple calculator that was developed along with the Low Carbon Diet workbook.



NOTE: this footprint is based on a Utah average household size of 3.07 people.  The footprint doesn't include carbon emissions associated with the consumer products we buy, other than food.  Click on the pie chart image for details on how the footprint was calculated.

Can I Really Reduce My Footprint by 5,000 lbs or More?

The Low Carbon Diet team in Park City has been studying this topic for a while now and the answer is a resounding "YES!".  In fact, we believe that participating households will be able to reduce their footprint by an average of more than 10,000 lbs each (that's like taking a car off the road per participating household!).

The below graphics give you an idea of just how quickly carbon savings can add up.  For more information, click on the "Join the Program Today" graphic on the right-hand side of this page - you'll learn how to get a Low Carbon Diet workbook and join other locals in the program.  Also, check out the new action items, above and beyond the 20+ items in the workbook, that we've added to our website.




NOTE: similar to the Utah household footprint estimate (81,807 lbs CO2 annually), savings estimates for these Action Items are based on participation by all members of an average Utah household of 3.07 people.
 
 
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