It wasn't so long ago that an environment-friendly person just had to recycle properly. However, the goal posts have been shifted a long way due to growing concern over the uncomfortable and inconvenient truth of climate change and global warming that is causing a rise in the sea level and abnormal weather, rapid depletion of natural resources, etc. It's simply not eco awareness these days if a person isn't being completely carbon neutral.

In theory, it's a very simple idea. If every single person or entity takes full responsibility for their own carbon emissions, then all the problems stated above go away. Of course, being carbon neutral is a wee bit harder to achieve in reality because it comes far behind a lot of other priorities, if at all.

The biggest problem, however, is that most people still don't know how important this is. That's why most governments and non-profit organizations focus more on raising awareness than on passing laws or forcing people to make choices that are less harmful to the planet. The events held worldwide on Earth Day and Earth Hour are not just to save energy, but to engage millions of people and let them know how they can take responsibility for their own energy consumption and why it's important.

But for argument's sake, let's say a person wants to be eco-aware and lead a green lifestyle. There are two ways to go about it, and both are likely to be needed. One way is to reduce emissions, and the other way is to offset it by purchasing carbon credits.

Reducing emissions is done by looking at every single aspect of a person's life and activities, and finding ways to make it less harmful to the environment. For example, those who want to eliminate the impact of their vehicle usage can buy electric vehicles and install a solar power generation system to charge the car battery using clean power. It's not easy or cheap to make this transition, but it ends up providing a zero-carbon and free mode of transportation that doesn't need gas.

Within the home, there are likewise a host of methods to reduce energy usage and other consumption. Living in a LEED certified building or at least doing a top-to-bottom energy retrofit will vastly reduce electricity usage and save money on bills. Water can be saved on everything from lawns (use artificial grass) to dual-flush tanks in the toilet. Preparing meals using sustainably grown local produce goes a long way towards reducing personal emissions.

Companies can likewise make the workplace eco-friendly by implementing green practices and using natural materials to reduce pollution associated with their products. Paperless offices will contribute in the fight against deforestation, and factories powered by clean energy from rooftop solar arrays can claim to be green. Recycling of industrial waste instead of sending it to landfills or dumping it into drains that ultimately end up in the rivers and oceans is another way that companies can be responsible.

Even those who do all this and a lot more besides will still end up with at least some carbon in their column. That's where the credits come into the picture. Do everything possible to reduce personal and corporate emissions, and balance the rest by paying for it. The seller will take the trouble to generate clean power, plant trees or something like that which cuts emissions by an equal amount.