Many proactive businesses have been surprised at how easy it is to make voluntary improvements in their energy use. By using less energy, businesses can help the environment while reducing their company's overhead. They can lower the environmental risks associated with global warming, and, at the same time, their stockholders will benefit from long-term reductions in operating costs. Today, the United States is the world leader when it comes to pumping carbon dioxide--a major contributor to global warming--into the atmosphere. Each U.S. citizen contributes about 22 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, whereas the world average per capita is about 6 tons.