If we are concerned about Global Climate Change and are sincere in attempting to reduce our energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases, we must ensure that we compare the total energy consumption and emissions over the entire life cycles of current products and any proposed alternatives rather than just the actual period of usage. We must evaluate and compare the energy consumption and emissions during the total production cycle of the product and its components, the packaging, transportation, distribution and retailing, usage and finally the disposal/recycling at the end of its useful life. To do otherwise can be both misleading, or dishonest, and may result in the adoption/promotion of products that do more harm than good.

Deep within the Brazilian Amazon Forest, we find the find a single, isolated small hut surrounded by smoking mounds constructed of brick and earth. The hut belongs to a poor woodcutter and the charcoal that he is making in his brick ovens is the sole support for his family. Our woodcutter, and thousands like him, account for about 20% of the 1400km2 (540sq. mi.) of the Amazon Forest that is deforested every month. The charcoal that they produce is eventually shipped down the Amazon and used in steel production, primarily in the United States and China.

There are a number of "tipping points", loosely defined as critical thresholds at which small human activities can result in large, uncontrollable, long-term climatic consequences. Not so long ago, the very thought of tipping points seemed unreasonable, but now they appear both real and near. We also have a tendency to believe that there is a smooth relationship between our actions and the environmental responses. Tipping points, however, will most likely result in an abrupt or disjunct response.

Established in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an international scientific body mandated to provide international policy makers, and others, with objective scientific information on Global Climate Change. The IPCC has since provided 4 major “Assessment Reports" detailing the state of the scientific knowledge on climate change (1990, 1995, 2001 and 2007), with each assessment including a volume from each of three subject-oriented working groups and a summary for decision makers.