You’ve probably been hearing an awfully lot about carbon footprints lately. From Al Gore to Wal-Mart, everyone seems to be on the lookout for ways to reduce it. But what exactly is a carbon footprint? Well, unless you’ve had a course or two in environmental or atmospheric science, chances are the definition of a carbon footprint may be a little cloudy.
In simple terms, a carbon footprint is a measurement of how the daily actions – including things like eating, transportation, hobbies and more, of an individual or group of individuals has on the environment. It is most often expressed in terms of the total tons of carbon emitted, usually on an annual basis, by that person or group of persons. Generally speaking, someone who drives a great deal in a large SUV, eats a high volume of heavily processed convenience foods while also consuming a high number of other non-necessities will have a much higher carbon footprint than someone who commutes via bicycle, eats local and organic foods, wears second hand clothing and avoids consuming items that they do not need. Considering your carbon footprint really comes down to thinking carefully about every individual action in your day and tracing the amount of energy from fossil fuels that it required from its source. An organic apple that you might purchase in the produce department required the use of far less fossil fuels than the pre-sliced and extensively packaged apple that can be found in the deli. (Yes such apples do exist!).
