Some Cool to Hot Term, 'Carbon Neutral'

Leonardo DiCaprio poses during a ceremony at the Culture ministry in Paris, in this Jan. 5, 2005 file photo. It's a trend that counts Leonardo DiCaprio, London cabs and Al Gore among its followers: Making life "carbon neutral" through tree-planting, forsaking holidays, and other environmentally-friendly gestures. The theme is a hot one as scientists in Paris this week prepare to issue a major report on global warming, but critics say the movement is counterproductive, even a scam. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file) (Michel Euler - AP)

Eric Parent, an engineer who quit a job in waste management to start Climat Mundi in June, says polluting without offsetting could become as frowned upon as littering.

"It remains socially very acceptable to vacation on the other side of the world or to travel for a weekend to another country in Europe on a low-cost airline," Parent said in a telephone interview. "Growing awareness of global warming and the fact that we, as individuals, can now compensate for our emissions _ which wasn't the case four to five years ago ... will, in my opinion, make traveling without compensating far less acceptable."

For newlyweds, or their guests, it offers a $230 "Just Married" pack to compensate for the nine tons of carbon dioxide it calculates are given off by a wedding bash for 150 people and honeymoon trip _ accounting for travel, heating or other eco-unfriendly activity.

The French government is funding Climat Mundi's Eritrean stove project to compensate for this week's meeting in Paris on climate change. Bringing together some 500 people from all over the world for the conference is expected to produce some 1,100 tons of carbon dioxide.

To compensate will require some 360 stoves, said Parent. They burn half as much wood and pollute less than traditional Eritrean stoves.

Organizers of the 2006 World Cup in Germany said they would invest environmentally to offset the estimated 100,000 tons of carbon emissions caused mostly by car usage during the June 9-July 9 soccer extravaganza. Fans were also encouraged to take public transport and only recyclable drink cups were used in stadiums.

DiCaprio in the past has offset his carbon through organizations that plant trees and is "looking at various options" for 2007, according to Chuck Castleberry of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which the "Titanic" star started in 1998 to promote environmental awareness. The actor switched recently to a Honda Accord hybrid car and has solar panels on his Los Angeles home.

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Associated Press Writer Josh Ward in Berlin contributed to this report.