Part One – Exteriors
Ready to strategically plant your CO2 eating trees?
 
1) Determine which direction most winter wind comes from. Then plant a wall of trees. If your land plot is square, then plant in an L shape to cover two directions. Plant them far enough away from your home that they won't shade your house in winter. Conifers are the suggested type, but also fruit trees can work and be a great source of your own food!

2) Don't block that southern exposure. That powerful sun will help heat your home in winter.

3) Plant deciduous trees (trees that shed leaves in winter) along the east, west and north sides of your home. Plus one to cover your air conditioning unit. This will add shade and therefore coolness to your home in summer months.

4) Plant trees or shrubs along driveways and walkways. Shading those areas not only  cools the surfaces, it helps them last longer and reduces CO2. Plus if your car parks under one, it reduces fuel evaporation.

5) If you have extra space, grow a fruit bearing tree, vegetables or a hazelnut bush. You'll save the carbon emissions it would take to grow and truck that food too you and the hazelnut bush is known to greatly reduce CO2.

All of this will cut your energy bills, and reduce your carbon footprint in the process. That means less CO2 in the air.   For the gung ho environmentalist, painting a dark roof silver or white can greatly cool your home in summer. Black surfaces can be 70 degrees hotter than silver or white. For the insect troubled home, build a bat house. North American bats can catch up to 1,200 insects an hour.