Carbon Footprint Papers

Improved Essays
Reducing, reusing, and recycling are common terms in our society today. Along with the words “carbon footprint.” What is a “carbon footprint,” actually? Your carbon footprint is an estimate of the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions that result from your consumption levels in a given time frame. It is the mark you leave on our planet and our environment long after you are gone. Many people do not realize the long-lasting effects greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2 or carbon dioxide, can have on our planet and regrettably, I was one of them. Using three separate calculators, I was able to determine that my personal carbon footprint is undoubtedly unacceptable; additionally, I learned the various behaviors that increase my carbon footprint and the simple ways we all can reduce our own personal carbon footprints. Using the carbon footprint calculator at www.nature.org, I determined my personal greenhouse gas emissions per year equates to 28 tons of carbon dioxide per year, while the average per person in the United States is 27 …show more content…
All three calculators brought results that reflected my mobility (travel by car) is the most significant factor in my large carbon footprint. Similarly, all three indicated my secondary carbon footprint, things such as consumption and recycling habits, are also strong contributors to my larger-than-average carbon footprint.The likely reasons for the variations in results may include: higher accuracy in one calculator versus the others, more detailed information being requested from the user, and different calculations for the national average. However, even with the variations considered, the ultimate truth is that there are many ways that I can personally contribute to a decrease in greenhouse gas

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