'Diet' works to help you 'lose' carbon dioxide

"The Low-Carbon Diet, A 30-Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds" will show participants how to reduce their personal carbon dioxide emissions. The workshop will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Center for Spiritual Evolution, 204 Spring St in Cary.

This workshop will give the community an outlet to voice fears and hopes about global warming, then examine a variety of climate actions that "carbon dieters" can take as outlined in the "Low Carbon Diet" workbook.

According to volunteer host Matt Van Slyke, it's modeled after another successful weight-loss program. Dieters make specific carbon pound-loss commitments as outlined in the workbook.

Similar to Weight Watchers' behavior modification, carbon dieters form "EcoTeams" to gain support from each other.

"As adults, we are such creatures of habit that change occurs only when friends and neighbors are changing with us," Van Slyke said.

The program has engaged more 250,000 households, which have cut carbon emissions by an average 25 percent and saves more than $200 per year, according to Low Carbon Diet founder David Gershon.

Gershon cites U.S. Energy Information Statistics showing that typical American households emit 54,600 pounds of carbon dioxide, compared to 27,000 in Germany and 15,000 in Sweden.

"So just to get started, 5,000 pounds is often under 10 percent," a modest amount, said Van Slyke, adding that any home can achieve this by following the program.

Reservations are requested at lowcarbondiet@aol.com.