A measure of the amout of carbon dioxide (CO2) producted as aresult of the combustion of fossil fuies in support of various activities or processes.
Many initiatives have been designed to reduce the carbon footprint on an individual, houhold, community or business entity. Some resources that assist in calculating the carbon footprint of various activities / processes:
- Carbon Footprint of a Burger - More impact than you'd imagine - think ouside the bun
- Carbon Footpring Calculator - calculate your impact on the environment
- Carbonfootprint.com - Various related information
A carpool is shared use of a car typically by two or more people commuting to work. There are many cost and environmet benefits to carpooling. A more detailed defenition of carpool.
A lane of a freeway or highway reserved for use only by vehicles carring a set miniumum number of occupants - usually two occupants.
Commuting is the process of travelling between a place of residence and a place of work. Students who are enrolled at a college or university but who live off-campus are also typically referred to as commuters.
The measurable climate change in recent decades and projected future that has seen temperatures of the Earths atmosphere rise considerably. It is believed that abnormaly high levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses in the Earth's atmosphere are a cause of global warming.
Cars are a major contributor to carbon dioxide in our attmosphere. Carpooling is one effort that results in lower carbon dioxide production by reducing the number of cars used to carry passengers on their commutes.
An explanation of how global warming works
A toll enacted on single occupant vehicles wishing to travel in high occupancy vehicle lanes.
A vehicle that is carrying two or more persons in it. Some high traffic roads are equiped with HOV lanes to encourage carpooling among commuters. The HOV lanes are restricted for use by High Occupancy Vehicles only, usually travelling faster than the regular, non-HOV lanes.
A structure providing uninterrupted access between freeways that enables HOV vehicles to move directly from the HOV lane of one freeway to the HOV lane of the second freeway, without leaving the commuter lane to exit one freeway only to merge back across the next freeway into its HOV lane.
A lane of road reserved for use only by High Occupancy Vehicles. HOV lanes typically move faster than regular, non-HOV lanes.
A road condition during slow rate of travel due to large amounts of vehicles on the road. A period of large traffic congestion is referred to as Traffic Jam.
A period of time when severe Traffic Congestion is experienced on a road. Typically occuring in heavily populated areas 2 hours before the start of a work day and 2 hours after the start of a work day. Traffic accidents, road construction and weather can also be contributing factors to cause Traffic Jams.
A vehicle similar to a carpool but larger that carries more passngers, with larger environmental and cost saving benefits. Vanpools are often organized by a group of people, an employer or an entitiy in government.
What is a carpool? [ carpool glossary ]
Carpool Connect - The Internet's #1 resource for carpooling and ridesharing!