This fall, Congress is requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue regulations for "mandatory" reporting of greenhouse gas (GHS) emissions for all sectors of the nation's economy. Reporting will undoubtedly be the first step in developing limitations for GHS emissions. The European Union already has legislation that requires countries to set carbon emissions limits on certain industries, and a robust trading program in carbon credits to meet those limits is under way. States like New Jersey and New York have already moved forward with their own voluntary initiatives. A cooperative consortium of northeast and mid-Atlantic states has scheduled its first auction of carbon credits this fall. As the pace of initiatives to address global climate change increase, those connected to the environmental arena cannot be fully informed without knowing some energy basics. This article provides that needed introduction.