EarthLab Provides Life Lessons in Sustainability

New non-profit website EarthLab wants to demystify climate change and make being environmentally responsible part of every conversation. Led by founder Duane Dahl, EarthLab recommends that people start with the carbon calculator to gauge their emissions, and then use the tips and information on the website to continually reduce their carbon footprint over time.

Dahl told me that most of the information is too dry and removed from people's everyday lives to have an impact. "How can you understand about climate change without having to read a 60 page report?" He said EarthLab will provide information about and practical solutions for global warming into a mainstream conversation.

EarthLab, along with the help of the EPA and the Energy Information Administration, designed the carbon calculator that is on the Live Earth website. Dahl hopes that people will track their carbon score similarly to the credit card scores and aspire to continually reduce their footprint. People will "track themselves over time, make improvements, and be in a situation to feel good about their contributions," he said.

EarthLab will provide information on how to put green into everyday lives, politics, food and wine, tech gadgets, news, fashion and beauty, according to Dahl. He said the group will provide information to other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to share ideas about climate change. EarthLab has a shopping section in partnership with Gaiam.

The more organizations that are truthfully telling the importance of sustainable living the better. Welcome EarthLab!