Chapter 1.9: Carbon Footprints
Because of global concerns about climate change and the need to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to climate change, there have been many different attempts to quantify and describe the various sources of those emissions. A carbon footprint estimates the amount of carbon released from the production, transport, and use of a product. But carbon footprints can also be calculated for individuals, organizations, or events.
These assessments can allow us to look at the cumulative contribution of our lifestyle to carbon emissions and evaluate which of our actions contribute the most. Perhaps what is most interesting about carbon footprints is that they allow us to quantify our personal responsibility in contributing to climate change. As a result of recent global agreements to slow the progress of climate change, it is likely that ever-increasing attention will be paid to where GHGs are coming from. Individuals skilled in “carbon accounting” should have excellent professional opportunities in the future, as businesses gear up to meet the carbon-cutting challenge.
Background Materials:
For a general overview of carbon footprints, see: http://timeforchange.org/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-definition
A carbon footprinting guide from the Carbon Trust: https://www.carbontrust.com/resources/guides/carbon-footprinting-and-reporting/carbon-footprinting
Some general carbon footprint tidbits from Onetreeplanted.org: http://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/news/13062461-carbon-footprint-facts-and-statistics-everyone-should-know
Textbook References and Links:
Carbon footprint calculators:
- A very quick, rough estimate can be obtained from the CoolClimate Network at Berkeley: http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator
- The Nature Conservancy’s carbon footprint calculator estimates how many tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases your choices create: http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/
- The US EPA’s carbon footprint calculator provides a rough estimate of your household carbon footprint by using average US values for home heating, transportation, and waste. For a more accurate estimate, you can gather your utility bills (electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, propane) to calculate your household average: https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/
- To estimate your individual carbon footprint, try this link: http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
- The Terrapass calculator allows you to calculate a carbon footprint for an individual, business or event: http://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator/
Cheah et al. article on manufacturing-focused emissions reductions in footwear production: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652612006300
Downloadable data and files: NA