Carbon Dioxide Calculator

"Butterflies, dragonflies, and lady bugs." Jordan knows just what she wants her new tree to attract. Her little sister is expecting something else. "You said monkeys?" But something they might not know that's found in this tree - carbon dioxide. "Once a tree is planted, it actually removes carbon dioxide from the air." In once year, cars, homes, and flights across the country produce thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide, but now you can add up just how much trees near your home help to eliminate the problem. Urban forester Greg McPherson created the tree carbon calculator. All you do is measure around the tree trunk. "Measuring the circumference, which is about 29 inches." And plug in the numbers to his web site. "That species was a ginko." The calculator revealed that this tree sequesters about 11 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. So 100 of these trees can offset over 1,000 pounds of CO₂. The tree calculator is free and can be found on the U.S. Forest Service's Climate Change Resource Center website under "urban forests." It also gives tips on how trees can help save money. The shade this tree provides can reduce air conditioning bills by 15 percent, a simple way to save money and the environment. "Put water in there and it will grow." All it needs is a little water, a little sun, and a lot of love. "Wow. Good job, Jordan." I'm Jacquilene London reporting.