STAMFORD, Conn., March 28, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Do you walk, drive, or take the bus to work? Wash your clothes in cold or warm water? Buy your fruit imported from Brazil or from your local farmer's market? The answer to each one of these questions is an important factor in determining each individual's impact on the environment.
More and more people are interested in discovering their "carbon footprint" and then doing what they can to offset their individual environmental impact. For some people however, confusion still remains – what exactly is a carbon footprint? How on earth do you calculate it? And then, once you know, what can you do about it?
MXenergy, one of the nation's leading independent energy providers and a company with a long history of environmental commitment, is hoping to make the process a bit easier to understand.
"Basically your carbon footprint is the sum total of all your actions and decisions regarding how you use energy and resources in your daily life," says Marjorie Kass, MXenergy Managing Director. "Each one of those little decisions, from whether you wait until the dishwasher is full before you run it or whether you turn off the water when you brush your teeth, those all add up."
How does someone determine their carbon footprint? Multiple free calculators are available online. One relatively simple calculator can be found at . The calculator examines home energy usage, transportation habits, and secondary lifestyle decisions such as grocery shopping, banking habits, and recreational activities.
"At MXenergy we have a true commitment to conservation and sustainability," continues Kass. "It is our hope that as people become more aware of how the daily decisions they make impact the planet, they will begin incorporating the issue of sustainability into their decision making process."
Once a person knows the size of their carbon footprint, what do they do with that information? Kass says the ultimate goal should be carbon neutrality.
"With lifestyle changes and the purchase of carbon offsets, it is possible for all of us to live carbon neutral lives," says Kass. "For the third straight year, MXenergy has achieved carbon neutrality through the purchase of carbon offsets and we make those same offsets available to our customers."
In 2007 MXenergy launched the Earth Friendly Partnership for customers to join the fight against global warming, enabling them to make their homes and businesses carbon-neutral by purchasing CCX afforestation offsets. Customers who join the partnership pay only a fraction of a penny more for power service, with MXenergy subsidizing the balance.
"Saving the planet seems like an overwhelming, nearly impossible task," says Kass. "But what you realize, as you begin looking at your own carbon footprint and examining your daily decisions, is that each of us can truly make a difference."
As part of the company's carbon neutral commitment, MXenergy is launching a special promotion for Earth Day this year. For any new customer who signs up with MXenergy on April 22, 2011, the company will automatically provide carbon offsets for one year at no additional cost.
More information about MXenergy and their MXearth Initiative can be found at .
About MXenergy
MXenergy is one of the fastest growing retail natural gas and electricity suppliers in North America, serving approximately 500,000 customers in 41 utility territories in the United States and Canada. For over 11 years, the company has provided millions of customers with a choice in how they purchase energy to run their homes and businesses. Founded in 1999 to provide natural gas and electricity to consumers in deregulated energy markets, MXenergy helps residential customers and small business owners control their energy bills by providing both fixed and variable rate plans MXenergy is committed to best practices in environmental conservation, supporting local communities through various outreach programs and is a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange. For more information about MXenergy please visit .
CONTACT: Marjorie Kass (203) 356-1318 ext. 7801 Managing Director mkass@mxenergy.com Laurel O'Connor (209) 782-7212 NorthStar Media Management LLC laurel@northstarmediamanagement.com