Carbon Footprints

09 January 2013
Carbon Footprint

Until very recently, most people had never heard of a “carbon footprint.” Now, all of a sudden, the phrase is hard to avoid. In an age of slick slogans, fast fashions and fickle fads it’s easy to assume that this is just another quirky passing gimmick. But it could well be the most important concept of our time. A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted as a direct or indirect result of an activity (Yarrow, Joanna. How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: 365).

Every second, human activity emits another 770 tons- enough to fill 140 Olympic-size swimming pool (Yarrow, Joanna. How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: 365).A carbon footprint is produced by human activities and the burning of fossil fuel.

The need for carbon footprint reduction is not merely a necessity but also the most vital strategy for the planet’s survival.(2) Increase in its usage or emissions will result to climate change that will then affect individuals, industry, and environment.(1) Carbon footprint is known to be the sum of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide emitted by activities caused by any living and non – living thing. (2) The bigger the emission, the larger is the effect on global warming.

Environmental concerns such as increased risks of drought, fire, and flood has also been the result of too much carbon emission. (7) These phenomena are likely to occur more severe and frequent as the climate change progresses.

Each of us can make a difference in our daily lives by reducing our carbon footprint and its easier than you think to get started. There are many different things that you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and here are 101 of them to help get you started on the road to living an eco friendly life and creating a green home.

Your carbon footprint is determined by the amount of carbon dioxide that you emit as you ago about your day-to-day activities. Even the most menial of tasks, like turning on the TV and driving a car, add to your carbon footprint.
Some more obvious contributors, such as air travel, are also a huge burden – air travel alone accounts for 3.5 percent of the human contribution to global warning – but it is more so the compounding effects of continuous simple, mindless tasks, such as turning on the lights in your house, that is making the difference. The following 8 ways to reduce your carbon footprint and save the world are just a few ways you can turn the difference in Mother Nature’s favor.