What is Carbon Footprint

A lot has been said and discussed about the carbon footprint, and how we need to reduce our carbon footprint to save the planet. In order to do so we need to first understand what carbon footprint is. Carbon footprint refers to the emissions of carbon dioxide or green house gases we emit in the course of our daily activity.
Allow me to explain this. The carbon footprint that the person has on the environment can be calculated by the lifestyle of the person, his actions, his home and the level of emission of greenhouse gases that these things emit. These emissions of greenhouse gases are then measured and calculated to CO2 units, and figure reached by these calculations are the carbon footprint of the person.

Actually, everything we do can add to our carbon footprint. Every breath we take also adds to our carbon footprint. This does not mean that we stop breathing!!! We can however start being careful and making corrections in our lifestyle. Small changes in our lifestyle can go a long way to reduce our carbon footprint.

All our actions, driving a car, cooking food, energy consumption through one’s day and night produces carbon. The climate of earth is undergoing rapid changes that are not beneficial for the atmosphere and our well being. As per environmentalists, the carbon emissions produced by humans has caused our environment great harm. Polar ice caps have shrunk over the last hundred years or so, the climate is changing and the seasons have shifted. We are harming the planet.

We need to take steps to reduce our carbon footprint. An excellent way of doing this is to reduce our energy consumption. Switch off the TV when not in use, unplug our electrical gadgets or switch off power points when we are not using them. We can also switch of lights when we don’t need them. This is a good way to reduce our carbon footprint.

We can start reducing our carbon footprint by reducing our fuel consumption. One excellent way of doing it is to take public transport, or start a car pool. For short distances it is always a good idea to walk. It saves the gas bill and also helps reduce carbon footprint.

Planting trees is a good way to reduce the carbon emissions. Trees help reducing the carbon in the atmosphere and are healthy for us.

Small things like this go a long way to help us with carbon emissions.