do you know your carbon footprint?

2018-11-20

carbon footprint is historically defined as the total emissions caused by an individual, event, organisation, or product, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent

The average American's carbon footprint per person in 2014 was 21.5 metric tons CO2 according to the University of Michigan. This an increase of 7% in 25 years. It remains the highest in the world since industrialisation, but the picture is not uniform across the country or even within a region. China, for example, is the world "leader" in total emissions (6018m metric tonnes of carbon dioxide) since it overtook the US (5903) in 2007. But all that really tells you is that China is a fast-developing country with a lot of people. A study by the government-funded Carbon Trust puts the annual carbon footprint of the average Briton at 10.92 tons of CO2. The research also demonstrates that our leisure and recreation pursuits - activities as diverse as watching a football match or taking a trip to the seaside - account for most of our emissions, rather than a lack of insulation or a predilection for 4x4 cars.

what can we do to reduce our footprint?

1 air travel is usually the largest component of the carbon footprint of frequent flyers

A single return flight from London to New York - including the complicated effects on the high atmosphere - contributes to almost a quarter of the average person's annual emissions. The easiest way to make a big difference is to go by train or not take as many flights.

2 the second most important lifestyle change is to eat less meat, with particular emphasis on meals containing beef and lamb. Cows and sheep emit large quantities of methane, a powerful global warming gas. A vegan diet might make as much as a 20% difference to your overall carbon impact but simply cutting out beef will deliver a significant benefit on its own.

3 home heating is next

Poorly insulated housing requires large quantities of energy to heat. If you have properly insulated the loft and filled the cavity wall, the most important action you can take is to draught-proof the house, something you can do yourself. Those with solid brick or stone walls will also benefit from adding insulation, but the financial benefits are unlikely to cover the cost of doing the work, over time.

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/your-carbon-footprint-revealed-climate-change-report-finds-we-each-produce-11-tons-of-carbon-a-year-427664.html

https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/What_Is_the_Average_Carbon_Footprint

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/datablog/2009/sep/02/carbon-emissions-per-person-capita

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/19/how-to-reduce-carbon-footprint