A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon, a greenhouse gas, emitted to the atmosphere that is caused by an individual, organization, service, or product. For example, CO2 is released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels.
In the following activity, we will use an online carbon footprint calculator to discuss the ways in which our individual habits influence climate change.
Access the online carbon footprintcalculator. Once finished calculating your carbon footprint, answer the following questions.
Question: Earth Overshoot Day is the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what the Earth can regenerate. The term ‘overshoot’ refers to the level at which the human population exceeds its amount of resources on Earth.
a. When is your Earth Overshoot Day? Are you surprised by this? Why or why not.
Question: How many ‘Earths’ would be needed to necessitate your lifestyle for everyone on Earth?
Question: Which category did you emit the most? (Food, housing, transportation)
a. How can you reduce your emissions in this category?
Question: Why is understanding your individual carbon footprint important? How can others be made aware of this importance?
Question: What does your ideal world look like?
Corporate Responsibility