The world as we know it is rapidly changing. The turn of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century alone witnessed inventions such as the automobile, space travel, cloning and the completion of research such as the human genome project. The cost of our advancement unfortunately is the destruction of the environment.

 As  highlighted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, with conglomerates, countries and communities making attempts to conserve the environment for future generations. One such effort is that of the UNEP. The United Nations General Assembly established the World Environment Day (WED) in 1972 and it has since been commemorated every year on June 5th. The theme for this year’s world environment day was “Kick the habit towards a low carbon economy.”

“A carbon footprint is a measure of the exclusive global amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases emitted by a human activity or accumulated over the full life cycle of a product or service” (Wiedmann and Minx, 2008).  

As a good corporate citizen the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) acknowledged WED by sharing information with our employees on  ways they can personally reduce their  carbon footprint and by launching an  eco-  club for employees and their families.

At the corporate level, NGC will soon be starting Phase II of its Reforestation Programme under which we will be replanting in 2008 85 hectares of degraded forests. This will bring the total area planted to 130 hectares, with a commitment to plant approximately 180 further hectares in the next two to three years. This programme which derives from our adoption of a “ No Net Loss of Resources” principle with regard to forests, is one of the key ways in which we demonstrate our commitment to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour in the fulfillment of our role in  developing the natural gas industry in such a way that maximum benefit accrues to the country.

•  Use Efficient Appliances - when you replace an appliance for your home, look for products with an ENERGY STAR® label
•  Be Smart with Power Management - unplug your appliances when not in use. Adjust power management settings for your computer to conserve energy and turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
•  Be Water Wise - water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water. Don't let water run while shaving or brushing teeth. Repair leaky faucets and toilets promptly these simple actions can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Think before you drive - save energy by carpooling, taking public transportation, riding a bike, or walking. Another way to reduce your carbon emissions is to combine errands when you do drive.
•  Manage office equipment energy use better - to save energy at work, activate the power management features on your computer and monitor, unplug laptop power cords when not in use and turn off equipment and lights at the end of the day.
•  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - reducing, reusing, and recycling in your office helps conserve energy, and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
• Spread The Word - talk with your family and friends about climate change. Let them know the ways you’re changing your lifestyle to help prevent more climate changes.
• Deferred Maintenance is costly to you and the environment - reduce pollution from your current vehicle by getting regular tune-ups and making sure your tires are properly inflated to achieve your vehicle’s optimal gas mileage.