BIOS 125
June 17, 2012
Carbon Footprint Report
Carbon footprint refers to the amount of carbon we emit individually in any one-year period. Carbon is produced from many sources and is the primary gas responsible for Global warming (What is a Carbon Footprint? Para 1). I discovered a way to actually see the amount of carbon I personally emit by using a carbon dioxide emission calculation. The carbon footprint is a very powerful tool to understand the impact of personal usage on global warming (What is a carbon footprint? para 5). I was astounded by the amount I personally emit into the environment. I calculated that in one month I emit at least 744 kg into the environment. 522 kg alone came from filling up my SUV with gas. I feel like I have a large impact on the amount of CO2 being emitted and think there are different ways for me to lower it. For example, I could easily begin riding my bike roughly 3 miles to the store rather than driving, and car-pooling whenever possible. Another way to avoid sending carbon into the air would be to stop ordering delivery food such as Jimmy Johns or pizza.
I had no idea that the CO2 was emitted from our food. The production of 1 kg of beef causes around 13.3 kg of CO2. The production of 1 kg of butter causes about 23.8 kg of CO2. That is a lot of CO2 just from the food we eat! A couple environmentally friendly changes include: eating very little or no meat, eating primarily organic foods, and eating locally produced food (Eat less meat: CO2 emission of our food). These are simple steps that everyone can take to leave less of a carbon footprint.
References
undefined. (2012). http://www.marioninstitute.org. In What is a Carbon Footprint?. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://www.marioninstitute.org/what-carbon-footprint?gclid=CKfsz-vU1rACFQhgTAodJSQm2A. undefined. (November, 2007). http://timeforchange.org. In The effects of global warming by region. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://timeforchange.org/effects-of-global-warming-by-region-ipcc-nov07.
Pendos CO2-Zähler. (November, 2007). http://timeforchange.org. In Eat less meat: CO2 emission of our food. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://timeforchange.org/eat-less-meat-co2-emission-of-food.
References: undefined. (2012). http://www.marioninstitute.org. In What is a Carbon Footprint?. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://www.marioninstitute.org/what-carbon-footprint?gclid=CKfsz-vU1rACFQhgTAodJSQm2A. undefined. (November, 2007). http://timeforchange.org. In The effects of global warming by region. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://timeforchange.org/effects-of-global-warming-by-region-ipcc-nov07. Pendos CO2-Zähler. (November, 2007). http://timeforchange.org. In Eat less meat: CO2 emission of our food. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://timeforchange.org/eat-less-meat-co2-emission-of-food.
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