CARBON FOOTPRINT. WHAT IS IT AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?

“A carbon footprint has historically been defined by Championne as “the total sets of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.”

http://bit.ly/14gDwyb  (source)

Basically, how much greenhouse gas emissions are being put into the air because of the decisions you personally make each day.

At the time of this article my household carbon footprint is 37 metric tons a year. Not a good number if you ask me but according to the Nature Conservancy Carbon Footprint Calculator this is below the national average.

Find out your footprint here:          http://bit.ly/14gDKW7

Determining your carbon footprint and then looking for ways to reduce that footprint has gained popularity. The primary reason is personal accountability.

The world is SO big that sometimes we are just overwhelmed by the scale of it all and convinced that there is nothing we can do to change things. Especially when presented with competing facts about our impact on the planet. Simple truth is that no matter how you look at it, humans DO have a negative impact on the planet as well as a positive one but our negative outweighs the positive in most cases. With that said many of us have a desire to take on personal accountability for our individual impact. In steps the carbon footprint.

Your carbon footprint is basically the sum total of all your actions and decisions and the impact they have on the environment through carbon emissions. How you live, eat, shop and travel all impact the size of your footprint.

So now you know the size of your footprint.  What do you do about it?

Finding ways you can reduce your carbon footprint at home, on the road and when shopping can be a bit daunting. One great way to reduce your shopping footprint is by buying fresh, organic, local meat and produce. Not only are you putting higher quality food products into your body but you are also supporting local vendors. The key in that statement is LOCAL, meaning the food you are eating didn’t get trucked in from out of state or even a different part of your state. It came from your specific local region. Less gas consumed, less miles on the road, less CO2 in the air. That’s a good step.

In addition to how you shop, simple things like the proper inflation of your tires, whether or not you have a roof rack or what kind of blinds you choose for your home can all make a difference.

You might think that small changes in your personal life won’t do a thing to improve the world. WRONG. Small changes add up to big results. Here are just a few facts to consider:

• Change 5 bulbs – the EPA estimates if every American would just switch out 5 traditional light bulbs for CFL’s we would save over 1 trillion lbs of CO2.
• Turn your air conditioner up or your heat down by two degrees and save 2000 lbs of CO2 each year
• Stop the leaks – fixing a leaky toilet can save 200 gallons of water a month. And sealing up leaks around the house with proper insulation will dramatically reduce home energy bills
• Get rid of paper towels – the NDRC estimates that if every household eliminated one roll of paper towels we would save 554,000 trees. (alternative to paper towels)

Take one step today towards reducing your #carbonfootprint today, tomorrow another and so on. Before you know it your personal carbon impact on the world will be dramatically reduced.  After all, in the end only you are responsible for you.