I calculated my carbon footprint

Tuesday, 3 August 2010

The term ‘carbon footprint’ gets tossed around in discussions of energy and environmental issues all the time, but what exactly does it mean? Until today all I knew about my carbon footprint was that it should be small, due to being an indication of how much of the world’s nasty carbon emissions are my fault.

I decided to try out out the WWF’s Footprint Calculator (there’s also a link on our DBAP home page). I was a little sceptical as I generally find internet quiz-type features to be a bit gimicky and far-fetched. While online carbon footprint calculators are obviously not wholly accurate (a true measure would entail a long in depth lifestyle evaluation), they do serve a purpose in making you aware of which elements of your life impact the environment most.

The verdict:

After answering a few basic questions I was confronted with a hurtful and disheartening truth: my carbon footprint is 10.96 tonnes per annum (10960 kilograms) and I am living as though there are 2.62 planets to support us, when there is obviously only one. I clearly need to pick up the pace of My Green Journey!

Nevertheless it was a very worthwhile exercise which prompted me to consider the different areas of my life in terms of their environmental impact. The questions in the Carbon Footprint Calculator quiz focussed on four specific areas: food, travel, home and stuff (referring to objects we purchase) – which showed me that there is so much scope for change in the average lifestyle.

Some of the cool things I found out about carbon footprints:

• A carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, organisation or product.
• An ecological footprint refers to the area of land or sea required to produce the resources we consume.
• The number of pets you own influences your carbon footprint. Some pets consume more protein than people in poor countries.
• Individuals can make a significant difference, but most of the world’s carbon footprint must be tackled by governments and big business.

There is much more to be learnt about the ways in which we impact the planet and what we can do to reduce our carbon footprints – becoming aware of your own lifestyle is a good starting point.

What’s your carbon footprint? Calculate it here, and let us know if you’ll be making any lifestyle changes!