NBC25 NEWS – Going green isn't just about recycling paper or plastic.

Basic chores and items around your home can all release harsh chemicals into the atmosphere. When it comes to the environment, almost everything you do has a side effect. Mowing your lawn and even brewing a cup of coffee can pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The concept of carbon offsetting comes into the picture. Simply put, you look for ways to reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by the same amount you create. At the end of the day, your net impact should be zero. At the Coffee Connection, energy is used everywhere.

From the trucks that transport the coffee to the machines that roast and brew it, all of the carbon adds up fast. 4.3 pounds of carbon is produced for each pound of coffee consumers drink. So, instead, they are trying to offset that carbon footprint by doing something good for the environment.
 
“One of the things we are doing is looking into the planting of trees. The planting of trees offsets the carbon. It absorbs the carbon and keeps it from going into the atmosphere," said Pat Mannix, Coffee Connection.

However, offsets alone won't fix the problem, so, many people are finding other ways to equalize the amount of pollution they create.
 
"We just try to use as little energy as we can. So, I guess that is how we offset our carbon footprint, just by trying not to have one," said Mannix.

Ben Munson and Kristin Cox have changed the way they live.
 
"It has kind of been interesting to me to dig into it a little bit and see how the things we are doing day to day kind of impact the bigger picture," said Ben Munson, Urban Homesteader.

Ben and Kristin have taken their mission to the web. You can visit their site by clicking here. 

"It's an on-going documentary of what we are doing here in the house. Just all the big and little things we are doing and hopefully it will educate other people and get them doing it as well," said Kristin Cox, Urban Homesteader.

They started indoors by making their older home more energy efficient. Then, they moved outside where they are composting. It's a great way to keep waste out of landfills. They have also started using push powers instead gasoline powered ones. That one move can have a big impact.

Gas powered lawn equipment accounts for 5% of the nation's air pollution. Kristin and Ben hope all the little things they are doing will inspire others.

"It makes me a little bit sad that people think that they can't make a difference," said Cox.