- What is carbon footprint?
- How can you calculate your carbon footprint?
In this article we tried to discuss all above mentioned queries and their related topics.
Carbon footprinting importance, its types and Emission or generation.
When we try to find out our impact on environment or amount of pollution we individually produce; most of the time we don't get accurate or perfect answer.
So, for this we have to take the help of carbon footprint.
For more information about carbon footprinting keep reading this article.
In last we will also discuss five best ways to reduce it.
What is carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is defined as total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly or indirectly support human activities usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Form an organization point of view it is defined as a calculation of total greenhouse gases emissions cause directly and indirectly by a organization and company.
This is typically calculated and reported over a period of 12 months.
In short, carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gases emission caused directly and indirectly by a person , organization event or product .
The carbon oxide equivalent (CO2e) allow different greenhouse gases to be compared to be a like-for-like basic relative to one unit of CO2.
CO2e is calculated by multiplying emission of each of the six greenhouse gases by it's 100 year global warming potential(GWP).
In calculation of for carbon footprint all six of the kyoto protocol greenhouse gases are considered
i.e Carbon dioxide(CO2), methane(CH4), nitrous oxide(NO2),
hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs), perfluorocarbons(PFC) and sulfur hexafluoride(SF6).
Causes of carbon footprint
Carbon footprint of a person is sum of all emission of CO2 ,which are induced by his /her activities in a given time frame( Usually a year) .
For example:
- When you drive a car,the engine burn fuel which create a certain amount of CO2 ,depends on its fuel consumption and driving distance.
- When you heat your house with oil gas or coal, then you are also generating CO2.
- Even if you are eating in your house with electricity, generation of electrical power may also have a certain amount of co2 .
- When you buy food and goods the production of food and good also emitted some quantities of CO2 .
How to calculate carbon footprint?
Best ways to calculate carbon footprint is by calculate the carbon dioxide emission based on the fuel consumption.
For example
Burning 1 litre of petrol produces 2.3 kg of CO2 while 1 litre of diesel produced 2.7 kg of CO2.
If a petrol car has an average of 20 km per litre and if it travel 100km then it will be consumed 5 litre petrol which will at 2.3 * 5 = 7.5 kg of CO2 to personal footprint.
Best upon activities of the person ,footprint of each activity can be calculated .Each of the following activities add 1 kg CO2 to a person common footprint :
- Travel by public transport (train or bus) a distance of 10 to 12 km.
- Fly with plane a distance of 2.2 km or 1.375 miles.
- Operation your computer for 32 hours (60 watt conception assumed)
- Production of 5 plastic bag
- Production of two plastic bottles
- Production of one third of an American cheese burger.
- Carbon footprint can sometimes also expressed in a kg carbon rather than kg carbon dioxide.
- Kg Carbon dioxide can be converted in Kg carbon by multiplying factor of 0.27 (1000 kg of CO2 equal to 270 kg of carbon).
Carbon cost emission
When carbon footprint is to be calculated for an organization /company,the greenhouse gases emission are categorised as a direct and indirect in emission and accordingly grouped into scopes for accounting and reporting purposes.
Direct admission
Greenhouse gases emission are classified as a 'direct' when they are generating from company owned or controlled sources and activities.
These are called scope 1 emission and accounted for such as scope 1 emission largely includes fuel burnt in a company onwned assets and air conditioning and refrigerant use .
For example boiling with gas as a fuel used by the company would produce greenhouse gases.
It can be considered a primary emission for calculating the footprint .
Indirect emission
Indirect greenhouse gases emission sources are those admission related to the company activities ,but that are emitted from a sources owned or controlled by third party .
These are categorised as either as a scope 2 emission for purchased electricity or as a scope 3 for the non owned or controlled emission .
example air travel ,use of paper ,uses of packaging material manufacturer by other companies etc.
Main types of software and online calculator formula for calculation of carbon footprint.
Type of carbon footprint
Organizational: Emission from all the activities across the organization including building energy ,use industrial processes and company vehicles.
Value chain: Include emission which are outside organizational own operation (also known as a scope 3 emission ). This represent emission from suppliers and consumer, including all use and end of life emissions.
Product : Emission over the whole life of a product or services, from the extraction of raw materials and manufacturing right through its use and final reuse ,recycle or disposal.
Supply chain: Emission from the materials and services that are purchased by organization in order to deliver it's service(s) and/or product(s).
Why carbon footprint is important?
There are many environmental ,social and financial benefits of calculating the footprint and taking steps to reduce footprint either of organization or person.
A carbon footprint is an important step in a embarking upon a low carbon strategy ,as it act as a baseline from which to measure the success of carbon energy reduction initiatives.
The various benefits are
* Carbon footprint helps to identify the waste or inefficiencies within business in term of energy and raw material consumption .
Waste in any form, is bad for business. Quite simply reducing waste, reducing cost which improve a business's profit.
* The carbon footprinting is a very powerful tool to understand the impact of personal behaviour on global warming .
Most people can get a shock when they see the amount of CO2 their activities create.
If you personally want to contribute to stop global warming ,the calculation and constant monitoring of your personal carbon cost is essential.
* A global standard for carbon cost is GHz protocol . It has a set a global standard for how to measure ,manage and report greenhouse gases emission.
Within this protocol companies need to report scope 1 (Direct ) and scope 2 (indirect) emissions and are coming under increasing pressure to report the scope 3 indirect emission as well.
This has shifted the magnifying glass to companies supplying or using services and goods associated with this global companies .
This means that they are now interested not just in quantity of the service or product within their supply chain but also on effects it will have on their carbon cost .
* If a business choose public its carbon footprint and even better have it verified, it can have a positive impact on its brand .
* As per a survey ,92% of young employees prefer to work for organization with "green" credentials and therefore such companies are able to attract talented individuals who are more likely to stay longer, reducing recruitment and resource costs.
5 best ways to reduce carbon footprint:
Following measures can be adopted to reduce footprint:
👣 Walk or use cycle instead of driving vehicles for small distances.
👣 Use eco friendly products which have minimum effect on the environment.
👣Planting more number of trees or potted plants.
Because trees or plants absorb the CO2 from atmosphere and provide oxygen to us.
👣 Promote reuse and recycling wherever possible and reduced production of garbage
👣 Each individual can reduce his or her own footprint or carbon cost by small changes in his or her lifestyle.
Want to find or read about the sources of water and air pollution click on the link
Conclusion
I hope you also get answer of above-mentioned queries.
We tried to find out what carbon footprint is? Its types and how you can count your own carbon cost.
After reading this article you can calculate your impact on environment.
I hope through this you are also beware about your responsibilities towards the planet.
In last we also discussed about carbon footprinting and 5 best ways through which you can reduce your own carbon cost.
Thank you.
Comments
Post a Comment