Hurt the environment…and you take a pay cut? It's not that far-fetched. In fact, some companies already tie manager salaries to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Like Panasonic. There, manager pay is linked to the company's internal emissions targets. If plants don't meet those targets, the managers' salaries will be slashed.

Microsoft is taking a different approach. Employees there have financial incentives to improve energy efficiency at its data centers. It's working. Microsoft saw a 22 percent improvement in efficiency between 2004-2007.

Companies are under pressure to conserve energy and reduce gases that cause global warming. And some critics warn that companies set emission reduction goals too low on purpose so that they look more "green."

Whether extreme measures are taken or not, all companies can increase their efficiency. This saves money, and will contribute to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas pollution.