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All About Your Carbon Footprint

(And What You Can Do About It)

What is a "carbon footprint"?

The new(-ish) and most commonly used term today for how much we, as individuals, impact the environment in our day-to-day lives is called our “carbon footprint.” This footprint represents the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by our actions.

How is your carbon footprint calculated?

When someone talks about “calculating” their carbon footprint, they’re referring to the process of measuring daily behaviors (based on the amount of greenhouse gases allocated to them), including food and energy consumption, methods of transportation, waste creation, and more in order to determine how much influence they’re having on the natural world around them.

Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The sad truth is, humans are using the energy of approximately 1.6 earths to fuel our current lifestyles, and it’s not sustainable. But how are these gases primarily being emitted? The biggest contributors (by percentage of emissions) include:

  • Transportation (27%)
  • Electric power (25%)
  • Industry (24%)
  • Commercial/Residential (13%)
  • Agriculture (11%)
  • Food and beverages (39%)
  • Housing (11%)
  • Transport (9%)
  • Clothing (7%)
  • Energy (5%)
  • Health (5%)
  • Information Technology (5%)
  • Education (4%)
  • Personal Care (1%)
  • Financial Services (1%)
  • Other (12%)

Facts About Your Carbon Footprint

If you eat meat…

  • Food can account for up to 30% of our daily greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Food transportation creates carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and methane gases
  • Meat has a huge carbon footprint; especially ruminants such as sheep and cows, which produce millions of metric tons of methane every year.
  • A partially or completely vegetarian diet can result in a major reduction in emissions.

If you don’t recycle…

  • Solid waste contributes to 5% of greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Only 9% of recyclables have been recycled; the vast majority (76%) sits in landfills.
  • The recycling industry has created tens of millions of jobs worldwide.
  • Roughly 5 trillion plastic bags are used (and sent to landfills) every year.

If you commute…

  • Cars and pick-up trucks create more than 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide on an annual basis.
  • When burned, gasoline produces roughly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide per gallon.
  • Carpooling significantly cuts down on each passenger’s greenhouse gas contribution.
  • The majority of the global population does not travel. That means that 10% of citizens are responsible for 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions that come from transportation.

If you purchase fast fashion…

  • The fashion industry (clothing, shoes, accessories, etc.) is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 20% of global wastewater annually.
  • The vast majority of textiles (85%) end up in landfills as physical waste.
  • Clothing is one of the “Big 3” manufacturing industries after automotive and technology.
  • Roughly $500 billion is lost/wasted every year due to a lack of repurposing and recycling of clothing items that can still be used.

Solutions

So, what can we do to lower our carbon footprint? Well, it really depends on the kind of lifestyle you live. To have the most impact in your daily life, you should…

  • Utilize clean energy sources. Purchasing and installing solar panels and turbines can be a significant expense and is not a viable choice for many people. Instead, check with your energy provider to see if they provide environmentally friendly energy options. If none exists, petition your provider to incorporate clean energy offerings for their consumers.
  • Install energy efficient lights and appliances. Light bulbs can be a quick and inexpensive way to make a positive impact right away. Switching to energy efficient lightbulbs is not only better for the environment, but ultimately better for your wallet (since they last significantly longer). You might also consider swapping other appliances (dishwasher, fridge, washing machine, dryer, microwave, etc.) to those with energy efficiency ratings.
  • Reduce your meat consumption. As the current largest greenhouse gas contributor within agriculture, the meat industry has significant climate impact. Cutting back on the amount of meat we eat can have a shockingly large influence. By eating vegetarian one or two days a week, you can reduce your carbon footprint by as much as a quarter.
  • Reduce waste. Reduce, reuse, recycling–you’ve heard it all before. Whether it’s food waste (try composting), plastic waste (know where and how to recycle where you live), or general physical waste of everyday goods, make sure you’re doing your part to cut back on what goes in the garbage. Take clothing for example, thrift stores are more popular than ever and they’re a great way to sell or donate old clothing while finding something new (to you) for a bargain.
  • Buy food locally. The farther food must travel to get to your plate, the bigger its carbon footprint and the larger the risk of it going bad. Neither of those things are good. Instead, shop at local farmers markets or in the “local” section of your favorite grocery store. These products are going to be fresher and with a much smaller environmental impact.

Additional References

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