City counts carbon

A Bay Area city is going on a diet of sorts, but instead of cutting calories, citizens there are being asked to cut their carbon emissions.

On Wednesday (Jan. 28), Berkeley started a program to teach its 100,000 residents ways they can live a low-carbon lifestyle, reported the San Francisco Chronicle.

People are asked to join support groups in the effort, share tips with others, and set goals for one another. Participants are also asked to periodically tabulate their carbon output.

Like other U.S. cities, Berkeley has made a pledge to mitigate its environmental footprint. The city set a goal of reducing its citywide greenhouse-gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, and is working on a climate action plan.