The Carbon Footprint​

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, not every man's greed
- Mahatma Gandhi

What is Carbon Footprint?

When you walk upon the sand on a beach, you leave a trail of footprints imprinted behind you. You also leave something called a carbon footprint. You can't see your carbon footprint but it does leave an impact on the Earth, just like the ones in the sand. 

What exactly is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide you produce throughout your life. You use fossil fuels, natural fuel such as coal and gas, everyday. Whether it is heating oil to keep you house warm or using gasoline for your car, doing these things produce a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2). According to scientist all around the world, these greenhouse gases are making the world too warm, which is also causing another big problem called global warming. Creating a big carbon footprint is harmful to our planet. 

How much Carbon Dioxide do you use?

Believe it or not, we create a large amount of carbon  dioxide everyday. From using petrol for you car to heating your home, you make your carbon footprint bigger. What is carbon dioxide? It's the energy waste that is left over after you use fossil fuels. The energy waste gets mixed into the air and into the atmosphere, which is a major cause to global warming. If our carbon footprint gets bigger, it could potentially harm our Earth in very dangerous ways. 

What causes your carbon footprint to grow?

Almost everything we do in our daily lives produce carbon dioxide. It is said for each gallon of gas used for cars, 8.7 kg of carbon dioxide is released into the air. You also probably rely on various appliances each day to complete day-to-day tasks. Using electricity, as well as coal, gas and oil, creates a bigger carbon footprint. Every 32 hours you have your computer on, 1 kg of carbon dioxide escapes into the air. This goes for other appliances like freezers, refrigerators and ovens. 

How could you make your Carbon Footprint smaller?

There are many ways you could reduce the size of your carbon footprint. For example, using less electricity and less fossil fuels could make a big difference. When certain technology is not in use, such as your computer, television and lights, turn them off. Instead of using the car or bus, walk or bike to your destination. Only use fast transport if it is an emergency or if you're travelling a long distance. 

See Some Examples