Carbon neutral has two definitions.

The first definition is for fuels we use. Carbon neutral fuels don’t add to or reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) sent into the air. These alternative fuels reduce the amounty of emissions for transportation. Unlike fossil fuels, when biofuels and other plant-based substances are burned, no extra carbon is added to the air, even though this process also releases carbon dioxide into the air. Why is this? The basic idea is that the carbon removed from the air by the plants cancels out the carbon emitted by the plant when it is burned. Biofuels such as ethanol can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.

The second definition is for the total amount of CO2 made by the way we live; also known as our carbon footprint. In the United States it is impossible to be totally CO2 free. But we can strive to be carbon neutral. This means reducing all CO2 production possible then offsetting the rest by investing in projects elsewhere that reduce CO2 in amounts equal to what you are producing.

To make this happen you must first measure the amount of CO2 you add to the air by using a  http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html' " carbon calculator "Then you decide what you can reduce and what you need to offset. Carbon ofsets can be purchased through a variety of ways (see related websites) and you can reduce your carbon emissions by energy conservation methods and use of renewable energy.

Additional Resources

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/individual.html       

http://www.carbonfund.org/