Carbon footprints
Now we’re going to talk about carbon footprints, an important concept in modern ecology that is increasingly influencing the way people around the world think and live. You’ve probably heard about them before, but repetition is the mother of learning. Plus, in this article, we’ll cover a few points for outdoors people.
Marcin Jozwiak / Unsplash
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, occurring when a particular action happens. Carbon footprints can be left by, and calculated for, both businesses and people.
The carbon footprint is usually measured over 12 months in «tons of carbon dioxide (equivalent),» i.e. emissions of all greenhouse gases are calculated as if a certain number of tons of carbon dioxide were emitted.
Let’s talk more about how we measure an individual’s carbon footprint.
How we track it
Almost any action you take has a carbon footprint, often consisting of several components. For example, you’re driving your car. You might think that your entire footprint is made up of exhaust emissions. But it’s more complicated.
Exhaust is your direct and obvious carbon footprint. But when you first bought the car, your indirect footprint was the carbon dioxide emitted during manufacturing.
Your carbon footprint also includes all future maintenance of the car. For example, when you replace the tires, carbon dioxide is emitted during both the production of the new tires and the disposal of the old tires.
This is what the concept of carbon footprinting is all about, taking responsibility for all of the carbon dioxide emitted to meet our needs.
Why it matters
By knowing the sources of your carbon footprint, you can adjust your lifestyle to have less to «track.» If we want to consume consciously, it is crucial to understand how different goods are produced and disposed of and what alternatives exist to using these things. In this way, each of us can contribute to the reduction of our individual (and shared) impact on nature.
Many calculators on the internet can help you calculate your carbon footprint—for example, on the website carbonfootprint.com or the World Wildlife Fund website footprint.wwf.org.uk.
What makes up your carbon footprint
Here are the four main components:
Home. This includes your lifestyle habits, and what energy you use for heating, lighting, and daily life.
Food. Raising animals on farms to produce meat and dairy products results in the highest emissions. Don’t forget about transporting food and packaging.
Purchases and services. A new smartphone or a trip to the beauty salon also has a carbon footprint. You can imagine what it includes.
Travel. Airplanes have the biggest carbon footprint, followed by personal cars, then public transportation.
Leaving a smaller footprint
Reducing your carbon footprint is much easier than it looks.You don’t have to equip your home with solar panels or drastically change your diet. Here are just a few actions that you can start with:
At home, turn off lights in empty rooms. And in general, don’t run electrical appliances for nothing.
Buy locally sourced goods to reduce transportation emissions. Watch expiration dates, and don’t let food go bad. Don’t be afraid to buy second-hand items: often, they are almost new, and sold just because the owner doesn´t need them anymore.
Sort your trash: recycling packaging reduces its carbon footprint.
Try to walk or bike more often. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it’s also good for your health! If you can’t walk or cycle, try to use public transportation, and only as a last resort, use your personal car.
Eddie Junior / Unsplash
Here are a few more tips on further reducing your carbon footprint, especially for outdoors people:
- If you can only get to a spot by car, get your friends to join you on your vacation, and you can even look for hitchhikers! This way, you’ll share the carbon footprint of the trip, and have fun at the same time.You can use the chat rooms in Windy.app to find fellow travelers, and discuss the weather.
- Explore spots nearby (include them on your map). Often, amazing things are waiting for us right at our doorstep.
- Don’t forget to keep a close eye on the weather forecast. This way you’ll have a more fun, safer time, and you won’t be wasting your time or resources.
- If you are trying a new activity, rent equipment. Then the things you buy won’t get dusty on the shelves if you don’t like it. You can check out local offers in the services section for the spot.
To get a better idea of exactly what you can save money on, try opening the calculator again, and experimenting with the answers. And if you want to understand the carbon footprint problem in more detail, there’s no limit to your creativity. Good luck!
Text: Eugenio Monti, a meteorologist and a climatologist
Cover photo: Cristofer Maximilian / Unsplash
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