All this talk about saving the environment and slowing global warming. It got me thinking – do you know your carbon footprint? Do I know my own family’s? What does carbon footprint mean anyway?
Considering the impact your life may have on global warming may convince you to think about installing solar panels, or otherwise relying on solar energy to power your life and/or heat your home.
So, let’s go through the basics of an average person’s carbon footprint. Among factors included are: (1) use of efficient lighting; (2) use of Energy Star-rated appliances; (3) reduction of energy used for hot water; (4) efficient methods of heating and cooling; (5) regular maintenance of your vehicle (check tire pressure and change air filters); (6) how far you drive each day (all cars in your household); (7) whether you fly on short or long trips; (8) whether you eat meat – and how much; (9) whether you eat organically grown food; (10) whether you recycle -and how much; and (11) whether you compost your yard clippings and leftover food.
You can determine your carbon footprint by visiting the Nature Conservancy’s website for its handy, easy-to-use calculator.
How big is your carbon footprint?
Your carbon footprint is the total of your estimated CO2 emissions that are released into the atmosphere each year, simply by your lifestyle. Using the Nature Conservancy’s calculator I found out that I generate 19 tons of CO2 each year. That is startling, considering that the average carbon footprint in the world is only 5.5 tons per year. But by United States standards, I am well below the average of 27 tons of CO2 per person each year!
I have decided that I can offset my carbon footprint by taking action to reduce the impact. This means more efficiently heating my hot water – perhaps with a solar thermal unit. If I stop using electricity generated by burning coal and instead install PV solar panels on my home, I can sleep even better at night. Of course, I will supplement these big efforts with smaller ones like driving less and walking or biking more.
What is your carbon footprint? If it is larger than the rest of the world’s what will you do to reduce it?
Tags: carbon footprint, global warming, solar energy, solar power
