Você está na página 1de 3

CARBON FOOTPRINT

1. What is carbon footprint?

-A carbon footprint is historically defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused
by an [individual, event, organization, product] expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent."[1]

- The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human
activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

2. What are the effects of carbon footprints?

Greenhouse Gas Emissions


Electricity generation and transportation-related activities account for well over half of the 14 percent
increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the United States from 1990 to 2008. The Federal Transit
Administration estimates that switching to public transportation instead of driving would allow the
average American to reduce his or her carbon footprint by 10 percent. Americans could also reduce
their collective carbon footprint by changing their incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lights,
preventing the emission of 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gases.

Climate Change
Climate change is the ultimate effect of large carbon footprints. Greenhouse gases, whether natural or
human-produced, contribute to the warming of the planet. From 1990 to 2005, carbon dioxide
emissions increased by 31 percent. By 2008, the emissions had contributed to a 35 percent increase in
radiative warming, or a shift in Earths energy balance toward warming, over 1990 levels. The decade
from 2000 to 2009 was the warmest decade on record worldwide, according to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agencys Climate Change Indicators Report.

Depletion of Resources
Large carbon footprints deplete resources on large and small scales, from a countrys deforestation
activities to one homes increased use of air conditioning. The more those with large carbon footprints
use resources, the more greenhouse gases increase and spur further climate change. The Environmental
Protection Agency suggests that consideration of different energy supplies and conservation of current
ones will be needed to balance energy demand. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions as much as possible
and off-setting the remaining emissions by planting trees, for example, or supporting alternative energy
efforts, will help to reduce the negative effects of carbon footprints.
3. What activities at home, and at school contribute to the carbon footprint?

At home
Throwing clothes in the dryer Drying one load of laundry a week puts 0.1 metric tons of CO2 into
the atmosphere. Hang them outside and save yourself $11 in electricity costs while you're at it.
Working out Gym rats, beware: Running on a treadmill for 30 minutes three times a week will
boost your carbon footprint by 0.07 metric tons per year. Take it outside and watch that number
plummet to zero.

At school
Driving to school Let's say you commute 30 miles round-trip to work, which was about average
in 2003, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That's about 7,800 commuting
miles each year. And if you drive a car that gets 22 miles to the gallon every weekday, your
annual carbon footprint from commuting is 4.3 metric tons. If you want to shrink that estimate,
try carpooling three times a week. You'll save 0.85 tons of carbon and $323 dollars in fuel and
vehicle depreciation costs per year.
Electrical appliances - Even when electrical appliances are not being used they still use power,
even if they are switched to standby. We need to turn appliances off not only from their remote
control, but also at the powerpoint to avoid wasting electricity.

4. What are the ways to reduce carbon footprint?

Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprint


Instead of driving The popular and healthy advice is to walk instead of driving. Those who
have too far to travel can also use rapid bus transport networks and urban rail networks.
Less red meat Vegetarians are already off to a good start because most of their consumptive
waste can be recycled easily. However the greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural produce
such as cattle and poultry are substantial. Where there is less demand surely emissions can be
reduced.
Buy local Adding to the above remark, buying local, organic produce effectively counters
mass-produced agricultural outcomes. There is a dramatic reduction in the amount of plastic
being used to package products and fuel usage during long road transits is also reduced.
Energy efficiency at home All appliances that are not being used must be switched off
immediately. And all electrical outlets not in use must also be switched off. Hot-water geysers
should be switched off for the entire day and only turned on when needed. These are simple,
yet practical lifestyle habits which are easy to adopt.
Buy green energy It is quite possible to power your own home with environmentally-
sustainable alternatives of energy production without compromising your lifestyle and waiting
for national grids to be connected via green energy supply sources. For instance, technology is
now available for you to install your own solar power panels.
Recycle and re-use Vegetable produce can be converted into compost (or manure) for
gardens, even vegetable gardens. Instead of buying more food containers, plastic containers
sourced from the supermarket can be refashioned as ideal kitchen utensils. Also, where plastic
waste is no longer required, seek out recycling depots rather than relying on your supplied
garbage disposal units.
Avail WFH Facility Do you really need to go to office to complete your daily work? If you have
an option to work from home even for couple of days in a week, just opt for it. It will reduce the
huge CO2 burden in case you are using your own vehicle for commuting. Do you really need to
fly and attend business meeting. Why not make use of teleconferences and attend these
meetings remotely. It may not be possible every time but even if you are able to do skip couple
of meetings in a month that will make a huge difference.
Purchase Carbon Credits For some companies or private individuals, some emissions are
unavoidable. For those, purchasing carbon credits is a worthwhile option. This is done by
purchasing these carbon credits from companies who will invest those dollars on their behalf on
some renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
Plant a Tree One of the best way to give it back to the environment is to plant trees. Plants
absorb CO2 and release oxygen that is then used by humans and animals. According to the
Urban Forestry Network, a single young tree absorbs 13 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.

Você também pode gostar