The term carbon footprint has become common place but in this new era of environmental awareness, do we really know what this term actually means?
All human activity increases atmospheric levels known as greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide CO2 and methane. These form a ‘blanket’ around the earth that traps heat, a process known as the ‘greenhouse effect’. It is believed that the greenhouse effect is linked to global warming and climate change.
Estimating a carbon footprint seeks to highlight the volume of greenhouse gases produced by an activity or a product over its lifetime. Usually this is measured in terms of the equivalent tonnes of carbon dioxide produced. This footprint can also be applied to determine the impact of an individual or organization or a country.
Australia’s Carbon Footprint
In a 2003 survey, Australia produced a huge 16.5 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide per 1000 people. (Source: World resources Institute 2003). This ranked Australia as the eighth largest producer of greenhouse gases on the planet. So the aim is to work together as a nation to reduce our impact.
How to Work Out Your Carbon Footprint
Almost everything we do has the potential to produce carbon dioxide-like driving a car and heating/cooling your home. Even food and clothes have produced some carbon dioxide by being processed and transported to sales stores.
If you would like to work out your carbon footprint and are concerned about changing it, the following websites can assist you. Websites such as:
www.carbonconscious.com.au, and www.carbonfootprint.com have comprehensive free calculators that can help you to understand your current position. Once you have this information and awareness it becomes easier to make changes to reduce your footprint.
Ways to Reduce your Carbon Footprint
- Become a conscious consumer. Look at ways to reduce the number of items you purchase, and recycle all paper, tin, glass, and plastics.
- Consider signing up your home or business to a ‘green’ energy source, such as solar power, wind or biomass. Details on ‘green’ products can be found at www.greenpower.gov.au.
- Be environmentally aware at home. Turn off power switches and appliances when not needed, use energy efficient light globes and have adequate home insulation.
- Purchase carbon credits to help offset the impact of greenhouse gases on the planet. Many certified schemes are available, with some involving planting trees to ‘soak up’ the gases. Further information can be obtained from:
- www.climatechange.gov.au, and www.carbonpower.com.au
- Brisbane residents can now save on household bills, and help the environment with the Brisbane City Council’s new EzyGreen energy reduction scheme. Brisbane is aiming to be ustralia’s most sustainable city. For more information go to www.ezygreen.com.au.
Source: Environmental statistics on CO2 emissions from www.nationmaster.com.
Edvest News June 2010