Carbon Footprint Essay

Ocean acidification is negatively affecting our oceans and its marine inhabitants. Ocean acidification is a naturally occurring process where ocean water absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The chemical process of water molecules binding to carbon dioxide creates carbonic acid and frees hydrogen ions causing an increase in acidity. Marine animals can’t survive in water that is too acidic. Marine ecosystems are detrimentally affected by this chemical reaction. The long-term consequences…

The element Carbon is the fourth most abundant in the Universe. Here on Earth, Carbon is present in what we eat, in what we live and drive, and also in us. DNA is formed by two intertwined molecules around a Carbon chain. From the smallest protein chain in DNA to the largest mountain on the planet, Carbon is responsible for one of the most important cycles that allow humans to survive on Earth. The Carbon cycle is divided into Slow and Fast. During my lifespan, I will be able to directly affect…

seen by humans are going to be endured faster than anticipated and without combating the exponentially growing CO2 levels species on Earth may not survive and ultimately cause trouble for humans. Fifty-five million years ago, a sudden, influx of carbon gases flooded the ocean and atmosphere. This major change was caused by an alteration…

Chapter 1. The carbon emissions curve is exponential. What does that mean, and what observations or implications do the authors draw from it? When they say that the carbon emissions curve is exponential, it means that they are “the type of curve you get when the more of something you have, the faster that something grows” (p. 56-57). The emissions curve will continue to grow as long as we keep adding to it over time. This means that the only successful way to stop it would be to stop adding to…

Introduction Carbon has the special trait of being able to bond with almost any other molecules and form the organic molecules essential for life as we know it to exist. Since carbon is an element and cannot be created carbon atoms are endlessly reused in a process known as the carbon cycle ("Material Cycles: Nutrient, Carbon, Nitrogen and Sulfur Cycle", 2014). This is a natural process but human action threatens the delicate balance of the carbon cycle by increasing the amount of CO2 in the…

Kendon Brown Econ 475 5/31/2018 Carbon Tax Summary and economic discussion: Carbon is one of earth’s most plentiful natural elements, in fact it’s the 15th most abundant elements on Earth and 4th most abundant element by mass, in the universe. Further, Carbon can be found in just about any organic compound, from humans to plants to fossil fuels. Unsurprisingly, carbon is present in every hydrocarbon fuel source this includes coal, oil, natural gas, and petroleum. Indeed, when humans use…

adding to the introduction of other renewable sources of energy means that there is less dependency on fossil fuel, and thus conservation of both power and environment. • Moral standings: The moral obligation of each government is to reduce the carbon footprint in the country. Germany is thus demonstrating its moral standing to the environment and to the…

"Life cycle assessment of a field-grown red maple tree to estimate its carbon footprint components." International Journal Of Life Cycle Assessment 17, no. 4: 453-462. Environment Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2017). 2. What were the objectives/hypotheses of the research that is being written about? The purpose of this experiment was to examine and estimate the environmental impact, in particular, the carbon footprint of a field grown maple tree in the lower Midwest of the…

Our lives and the lives of those before us, have been unknowingly (or knowingly) shaped by elements. In The Disappearing Spoon, the author Sam Kean, discusses the wonderful world of the periodic table in depth. Within the first nine chapters of the novel, Kean explains the importance of location on the table, origin and discovery of each element, and its impact on other aspects of human life. Through various tales, the table is pulled apart and analyzed in an ingenious way. To a reader, it is…

Esterification is a Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution Reaction wherein a carboxylic acid or a derivative of a carboxylic acid accepts a nucleophile which in turns substitutes for a leaving group. In esterification a leaving group connected to the carbonyl carbon is substituted by an alkoxide ion which forms the formula RCOOR’ which is an ester. For this particular experiment the esterification used was the Fischer esterification reaction which involves a carboxylic acid and an alcohol mixed in…