Even though NBC’s “Today” crew is fretting over the effects of climate change and the price of oil, exceeding $90 a barrel – that isn’t stopping them from traveling to the “ends of the earth” in the name of climate change. The trips will release nearly 25 tons of carbon into the atmosphere – more than three times what a typical American uses in a year.

     “Well, the journey has begun,” co-host Matt Lauer said on the October 29 broadcast. “‘Today’ is going to the ends of the earth to report on the changing climate and examine the limits of human exploration in an unprecedented simultaneous broadcast from the top, the bottom and the middle of the world.”

     These globe-trotting travels will leave a sizable carbon footprint for this one assignment. “It all begins exactly a week from today,” Lauer said. “That’s November 5^th – I’m going to be above the Arctic Circle, Al’s going to be on the Equator, Meredith’s going to tie the whole thing together with interviews here in the studio and Ann will be reporting from Antarctica.”

     The irony in this “Today” effort is that it leaves such a large carbon footprint when the show has done numerous reports on the global warming issue as it has related to greenhouse gas emissions. One example was a February 23 segment that encouraged viewers to spend exorbitant amounts of money to decorate their home and make it “an earth-friendly mecca,” which included tips to shrink the home’s carbon footprint.

     Curry, who has a track record of global-warming alarmism – when she asked if the polar bear could “be going the way of dinosaurs” – admitted she isn’t fond of cold temperatures. But she’s still making this long carbon-belching journey. The trip is a part of NBC Universal’s “Green is Universal” initiative that “takes an unprecedented look at Planet Earth.”

     “And, Ann is on her way,” “Today” co-host Meredith Vieira said. “She and her crew left Saturday from New York. They made their way 2,462 miles to L.A. Then it was off to Auckland, New Zealand, another 6,151 miles. Then they had to make the hop from Auckland to the southern tip of the country. That's another 673 miles to Christchurch. And that's where Ann is this morning.”

     Curry’s trip alone is 11,686 miles (including the 2,400 miles from Christchurch, New Zealand to McMurdo Station Antarctica). She’s not going alone. At least two additional crewmembers are joining Curry’s trip (although footage from her arrival in Christchurch seemed to indicate even more). The carbon calculator on Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” Web site, said that’s 12.9 tons of carbon emissions (2.15 tons each way – New York to McMurdo Station, Antarctica and back at three people).

     According to a story on the “Today” Web site,  Lauer will be reporting from the Greenland ice sheet and Al Roker, the “Today” weatherman, will “check in from an endangered ‘cloud’ forest on the equator in Ecuador.”

     Lauer’s trip to the Arctic Circle in Greenland – from New York to Thule A.F.B., Greenland (airport closest to the Arctic Circle) is 2,487 miles, according to Google Maps. Assuming a crew of at least two will be embarking with Lauer – that’s six tons of carbon emissions (one ton each way – New York to Thule A.F.B and back for each person).

     Roker’s trip to the Equator in Ecuador – from New York, N.Y. to Quito, Ecuador (airport closest to the Equator) is 2,822 miles, according to Google Maps – that’s also 6 tons of carbon emissions (one ton each way – New York to Quito, Ecuador and back for each person).

     For Curry, Lauer and Roker to pull off this one assignment, that’s at minimum of 24.9 tons of carbon emissions combined.

     The national average for one person is 7.5 tons per year according to Gore’s Web site.

     Newbusters.org Noel Sheppard reported that Lauer on the October 17 “Today” was exploring options of minimizing their carbon-footprint, but admitted it would be “impossible at this moment to say we can absolutely come up with a neutral carbon footprint, but it's also something we'll examine.”

     Earlier this year, ABC’s “Good Morning America” celebrated their one-year anniversary together by bragging about their crew’s travels that emitted 61.45 tons of carbon in a one-year span.