My Carbon Footprint
UNST 171E
Almost everything we do in our day to day lives emits carbon into the atmosphere. The threat and knowledge of global warming has been around for awhile and recently it has become a hot topic. As the years go on, more and more evidence is showing how much we are affecting the earth’s climate with our everyday activities. With this new evidence more discoveries and inventions are being made in order to reduce carbon emissions and help us toward a better and environmentally healthier life.
carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas along with methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons. It is the most prominent in Earth’s atmosphere. The Greenhouse Gases pie chart below shows the makeup of the atmosphere and how much of each greenhouse gas it contains. Ever since the 19th century there has been studies on how and why carbon affects our climate. They all started with questions of how the prehistoric ice ages occurred, and during these studies they discovered climate problems affecting the present and future as well. Carbon Dioxide along with the other gases in the atmosphere creates a “greenhouse effect” and can alter the planet’s climate. The greenhouse effect is when sunlight reaches the earth’s surface, some of it becomes heat and these gases trap it and keep in the heat near the surface, keeping the earth warm. These gases regulate the earth’s temperature and without them the earth would be frozen.
The Essay on Global Warming Contribute Gases Earth
November Fourth two thousand and one Environmental Science Governor's School of Global Economics and Technology Global Warming Global warming is the earth's average ground temperatures. The main cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuels. These fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the earth's atmosphere. Also other substances known as greenhouse gases are released into the earth's ...
Greenhouse Gases
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm
Carbon is emitted into the atmosphere in many different ways. It is naturally emitted by plant and animal decay, but there are also many manmade carbon emitters. The pie chart below shows a breakdown of major carbon emitters. Some examples of these are; the coal, oil, and natural gas we use to do things like heat building, have electricity, and power our cars. Fossil Fuels were created chiefly by the decay of plants from millions of years ago. All of these fuels include carbon and pick up oxygen when released into the air; creating carbon dioxide. Deforestation which is for logging and clearing of land for farming and pastures is another large producer. Trees absorb carbon from carbon dioxide and release the oxygen, so the more trees that are cleared, the less carbon absorbed. When the trees are burned the carbon is released into the air, where it picks up the oxygen again, forming carbon dioxide, thus adding to the greenhouse effect (Hopwood & Cohen).
Major Carbon Dioxide Producers
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm
All of the research that has been done to show all the negative effects we are having on the earth has also been put to positive things as well. There have been a lot of inventions and discoveries of ways that we can live in a similar lifestyle, but using smarter and healthier resources. Some examples of this is include; hydro power, wind power, solar power, nuclear power, and other alternatives to everyday objects like; hybrid cars, thermal draperies, and energy efficient light bulbs. Hydro power is energy that is produced by “hydraulic turbines that rotate with the force of rushing water” (Hopwood & Cohen) Wind power isn’t the most reliable, but it still doesn’t rely on greenhouse gas use since it is powered by wind currents. Solar power can be used as a source of electricity and heat. The photovoltaic cells get the energy straight from sun, and are very powerful. Nuclear power avoids a lot of carbon dioxide emissions and is already very popular, but like all the other sources of alternative power there are negatives. Over time with more research alternative sources of energy and fuel will be improved and hopefully become more popular. The chart below gives an example of how little of these alternative resources are being used. To look at it in a positive way though, is to see how far we have come in discoveries and finally accepting that global warming is a real and serious problem. With that acceptance, hopefully more will be improved on in the future.
The Essay on Current Efforts To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emission Global Warming
Current Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emission / Global Warming Global warming is the issue of the day. According to the foreign researchers, the emissions by industrialized countries of the greenhouse gas related to the global warming shows a dangerous upward trend despite the efforts to reduce emission and to control global warming. According to the report, despite the overall level of ...
Present Ways of Producing Energy
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm
If you are curious about how much impact you are making, there are many different ways you can find out how much you are contributing to global warming. Certain data about your lifestyle will give you your carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is a “measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tons (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent” Buckley (2005).
It can be broken down into two parts; the primary footprint and the secondary footprint. The Carbon Footprint pie chart below shows the two sections; primary in teal and secondary in yellow. Activities like driving a car or flying in a plane fall under the primary section. The primary footprint refers to our direct carbon emissions, which we have direct control of. The secondary footprint refers to the emissions related to the manufactured products that we buy, but don’t have direct control over. Even though we do not have direct contact to the secondary footprint, that doesn’t mean we have no control over it. Every time you buy things at the store you are helping contribute because the food needs to be made, packaged, transported, etc. So the less you buy the less carbon you’re responsible for emitting.
Carbon Footprint Makeup
When calculating your carbon emissions you have to enter in your living situation, routines, eating habits, etc. I live in a one bedroom apartment which is part of a twelve story building. I live with my boyfriend Tristin, my puppy Milo, and my two cats Sneakers and Emily. During the week I walk to school and the grocery store and if anything is too far of a walk, I take some sort of public transit. On the weekends I mainly study, but if I go back to Seattle to visit family I take the train. In my daily routine I recycle all that I can and try to unplug appliances that aren’t in use. I am a vegetarian so that also helps reduce my carbon emissions since I am not supporting the clearing for pastures, or methane from animals rose for meat. My carbon footprint result from the calculator was 4.7 tons of carbon dioxide emitted per year. The pie charts below show my behavior breakdown on the right and the U.S. average on the left. My biggest impact was in the home energy use with 3.3 tons per year, in the tan. Second was my food and diet with 0.8 tons per year, in purple, and third was recycling and waste with 0.7 tons per year, in green. Since I do not drive and haven’t flown this year, the driving and flying section wasn’t included.
The Term Paper on Сlimate change
Climate change is simply define as change in global weather condition such as temperature, pressure etc. Climate change is a change in statistical distribution of weather pattern over time ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be change in weather conditions or distribution of weather around the average condition. Climate change is caused by factors such as oceanic process (e.g. ...
My Behavior Breakdown vs. the U.S. Average Behavior Breakdown
http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/
Comparing my results to the averages, I fall below the average in all sections. The table below shows my results compared to the U.S. and world averages. My home energy use total of 3.3 tons is 67% below the U.S. average. My food and diet total of 0.8 tons is 81% below the U.S. average and my recycling and waste total of 0.7 tons is 41% below the U.S. average. The U.S. average for total tons of carbon dioxide emitted per year is 27, so my result of 4.7 is 82% below the average of 27. The average for the world is 5.5 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which makes my carbon footprint 85% of the average, and 15% below it.
My Emissions vs. the U.S. and World Averages
http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/
My carbon footprint is sustainable in the way that I keep in mind what are the best choices I can make for the environment and avoiding excess carbon emissions. It is also sustainable in the way that I can maintain a lot of what I do and the choices that I make. Some might change, like one day I might get a car, but for the most part a lot of my schedule is a part of my daily life no matter what changes happen. Some things I can improve on are the use of energy efficient lights everywhere, instead of just a couple lights. I could also try to eat more organic foods. I would like to try composting, but I do not see that as an easy thing to do in an apartment in the city. To get started I can just start buying energy efficient light bulbs after each of the ones I have burn out, to replace them with. Even though I might not compost all the time for myself here, when I go home I could get my mom and dad to try it out and I could help get that going.
The Essay on Photosynthesis – Changing Carbon Dioxide and Water to Sugars
6H2O + 6CO2 C6H12O6+ 6O2Six molecules of water plus six molecules of carbon dioxide produce one molecule of sugar plus six molecules of oxygenPhotosynthesis is the process that green plants and certain other organisms use to change carbon dioxide and water into glucose (sugar) using the suns energy. Photosynthesis provides the basic energy source for practically all living organisms. A very ...
If everyone made small steps in making changes for themselves or helping other people learn more about things they could do, we could make a huge change together. We have the knowledge and the proof that global warming is a huge danger and that carbon emissions are a huge contributor. With the new alternatives we have available today, we need to start taking the next step and making changes to better our future, the planets future, and thus change the lifestyle of the future generations.
Works Cited
APA Format
Buckley, John. 2005. What is a Carbon Footprint? Date Retrieved: December 3rd 2008. (Placeholder1)From .
Hopwood, Nick. Cohen, Jordan. 2000. Greenhouse Gases and Society. Retrieved December (Placeholder1)3rd 2008. From http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm
Lenntech Water Treatment. 2004. Carbon Dioxide. Retrieved December 3rd 2008. From (Placeholder1)http://www.lenntech.com/carbon-dioxide.htm
The Nature Conservancy. 2008. Carbon Footprint Calculator. Retrieved December 3, 2008. (Placeholder1)From http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/
Weart, Spencer. 2008. The Discovery of Global Warming. Retrieved December 3, 2008. (Placeholder1)From http://www.aip.org/history/climate/co2.htm
Question | My Answer | Total CO2 eq. / Change (tons/yr) |
Home Energy Tab |
I live in a. . . (home type) | Apartment 5+ units | |
With ___ bedrooms | One bedroom | |
I live in (state) | Oregon | |
My Estimated Impact | | 4.5 |
My Changes |
Heat and cool efficiently | Wherever Possible | -0.5 |
Efficient lighting | Some lights | -0.1 |
Energy Star/unplug | Sometimes | 0 |
Reduce hot water | As much as possible | -0.6 |
The Term Paper on Carbon-14 Dating: an Invaluable Yardstick in the Chronology of Humans
Archeologists use many methods to analyze data from the past. One scientific tool they use is to analyze the radioactive decay of chemical elements found in plant and animal remains, pottery, and even in rocks. Radiocarbon dating, also known as carbon-14 dating, has been one of the most important radioisotope dating methods used. This scientific tool, which was first developed by Willard F. Libby ...
Home Energy Use Total | | 3.3 (67% < avg.) |
| | |
Driving and Flying Tab |
I drive the following vehicle | No vehicle | 0 |
Number of miles | | 0 |
Per | | 0 |
Car Total | | 0 |
My Changes |
I check the air filter | | 0 |
I check the tire pressure | | 0 |
In the past year I have flown | | 0 |
Number of long flights | None | 0 |
Number of short flights | None | 0 |
Flight Total | | 0 |
Driving and Flying Total | | 0 (0% of avg.) |
| | |
Food and Diet Tab |
My Estimated Impact | | 4.1 |
My Changes | | |
I include meat in my diet | Never | -3.2 |
I eat organic food | Sometimes | -0.1 |
Food and Diet Total | | .8 (81% < avg.) |
| | |
Recycling and Waste Tab |
My Estimated Impact | | 1.2 |
My Changes | | |
I recycle | All materials locally recyclable | -0.5 |
I compost food and yard scraps | Rarely | 0 |
Recycling and Waste Total | | .7 (41% < avg.) |
| | |
My Total Emissions | | 4.7 (82% < avg.) |
U.S. Average | | 27 |
World Average | | 5.5 |
My Emissions / World | | 85% |
U.S. Average / World | | 490% |
| | |
