Understanding Your Carbon Footprint
We are putting a strain on this planet of ours. She is powerful, but like us she can only handle so much stress. As humans we have gotten ourselves to the wonderful point in this journey where we have to consciously decide not to screw it up for the rest of the living organisms on this planet. Humans have accomplished many amazing feats and because of that we have become the dominant species on planet Earth- arguably even the most intelligent (haha). As Uncle Ben (not the rice Uncle Ben… the Spiderman Uncle Ben) once said: “With great power comes great responsibility”. That statement rings so true in today’s world.
Every day we wake up and are able to make choices on what we choose to consume and how much we contribute to the current climate crisis. The sum of all these choices is your carbon footprint. The United States’ carbon emissions rose 3.4% in 2018, which comes after 3 years of declining carbon emissions and is the second largest gain in more than two decades. It’s time to get back on the right track. This starts with us… the people, challenging our elected representatives to get the US back in the Paris Climate Accord- but that’s a story for another time. For now, we will talk about how you can change the way you look at your carbon footprint.
There are many every day opportunities that allow you to create a positive mindset towards an ultimate goal of decreasing your carbon footprint! In this blog I am going to try to shed some positive light on some choices you can make to improve your own personal well-being AND the well-being of our planet.
Let me get one thing out of the way immediately: I love exercise. The feeling it gives you when you truly immerse yourself in it is absolutely exhilarating. However, the older I get… the more I realize time is of the essence, so we have to optimize the time we DO have. We can do this by finding opportunities for activity throughout the day.
If it’s within reason, take the stairs! Save electricity by not taking the elevator, and benefit with a mini cardio session. ;)
If you’re going somewhere close-by don’t hop in the car. Lace up your sneakers and have a nice walk, jog, or bike ride to your destination. After all, it is the age of “athleisure”.
Take matters into your own hands and start recycling at work. Breaking down boxes and hauling recyclables to your local recycling facility burns more calories than you’d think!
It may seem silly to think that small decisions like these could truly make any difference, but if we decide to collectively make these actions the cultural norm then the impact will not be negligible!
Your mode of transportation also has a major impact on carbon emissions. Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles emit carbon monoxide- a common greenhouse gas. Less vehicles driving=less emissions. Try using public transportation or car pooling! Electric vehicles (EVs) are also a great alternative to conventional vehicles- especially if you charge at home with renewable energy from solar panels (GOALS). If you’re not ready to jump on the EV band wagon yet, try making the switch to a more fuel efficient vehicle. Trucks and SUVs are usually less fuel efficient than smaller cars or hybrids and therefore emit more carbon dioxide.
Most of this methane comes from their farts… and belches.
Another daily decision we can make to help keep our planet healthy is to stop eating so much meat- beef in particular. Raising cattle is one of the single most resource intensive ways of feeding ourselves. Cattle produce a large amount of methane- a greenhouse gas that is approximately 30 times more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. Most of this methane comes from their farts… and belches. I will admit, I am no vegetarian or vegan (though I am training to gain the willpower)… I have all but cut red meat out of my diet. As an alternative I have switched to almost entirely chicken or pork, but the ultimate goal is to increase my intake of fruits, vegetables, and other foods that are less resource intensive.
WE have the ability to BE the change. Take care of one another. Take care of the planet. Do your part to waste less while reusing and recycling more. It’s cool to care.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions about how you can change the way you impact our future! Don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list!
Planet over Profit, friends.
https://www.carbonfootprint.com/ is a great resource to find out more about YOUR carbon footprint