I have been grumpy lately about Black Friday and our consumer culture. That means it is time to look at my own lifestyle and think about making some changes again. I gave up setting serious New Year’s Resolutions, as it never worked for me. While I did find it helpful to think about things at the end of the year and assess what worked or didn’t work, trying to initiate instant change was never a sustainable strategy. This year, however, I feel so strongly about my contribution to climate change that I am going to make important changes in the new year. I am creating new kind of budget.
My new carbon budget will reflect my desire to reduce my carbon footprint (carbon emissions are causing global warming). That footprint is simply the amount of carbon emissions (measured in tons) that my lifestyle sends into the atmosphere each year. I Googled “carbon footprint calculator” and, after using several calculators, determined roughly how much carbon I send out.
My current carbon footprint (amount of CO2 my lifestyle emits into the atmosphere): 15 tons of CO2
The average American: 21 tons of CO2
My lower use is entirely due to my tiny house situation, which uses far less energy than a regular house. It also helps when you can move that house to avoid the coldest winter temps and the heat of summer, thereby avoiding excessive energy use for heating and cooling. Should I feel smug about being more environmentally friendly? Maybe for one or two seconds, but no more than that. If we are to sustain our 2050 global carbon footprint goals, each person (based on population numbers at that time) must have a footprint of 1.5 tons (see reference at end of article). You read that right: to meet our global carbon emissions standards for 2050:
Every person on the planet must reduce their carbon footprint to 1.5 tons. Since mine is currently 15.42 tons, I must shed about 13.5 tons of carbon. Yours may well be 21 or more (the wealthier you are, the greater your footprint), which means you have to shed 19.5 tons of carbon emissions, at least.
Shedding 13.5 tons of carbon makes losing 20 pounds seem like a breeze in comparison! Is it possible? Consider this: some people in the world already live within that 1.5 ton carbon footprint. Figures from 2001:
Look who is emitting all that carbon into the atmosphere – the mostly Anglo, developed world. Thrifty-minded Asians consume half. People of color in the developing world consume no more than the rest of us should. The world population as a whole, with the carbon gluttons and the carbon poor, is 4.0 tons. However, I don’t want to waste time trashing myself and others. Remember, we were told that being good consumers was patriotic. I do want to start making a bigger difference, though. It is time for a drastic paradigm change. I feel strongly that if we use all the carbon then we need to repent and lead the way towards living in a low carbon footprint. There is a good chance that I will be dead by 2050 but it is the actions we take now that will keep the planet habitable for babies born today, like my grandson.
It is mind-boggling to see what each person uses and what we must reduce to. It is also a shock to realize that we have moved past the time for debate. It is not enough to say you believe in Climate Change and want the government to do something. The numbers are out there and it is time to start changing our consumption and lifestyle patterns. Yes, recycling is a good thing, but it is time to do much, much more because that is a mere drop in the bucket. And guess what? Living within a lower carbon budget is also good for our health and well-being. I plan to elaborate on all of this as I create my own carbon budget and plot a course for next year. It gives me hope and purpose to think that, even though one person won’t change the total carbon output very much, maybe I can influence others to make a difference. Stay tuned!
The above information and charts are from Shrink That Footprint.
Carbon emission as a form of pollution: It is extremely important to understand that carbon emissions are only one type of pollution. However, it is a doosey, as carbon emissions are what is causing global warming. You can read about the dynamic here. We can no longer ignore the effects of climate change on our way of life, and reducing our carbon emissions (personal, governmental, global) is the highest priority for every global citizen. However, we should also be aware of the ways that we pollute the rest of our environment, including our water resources through the use of pesticides and industrial wastes. These other forms of pollution and the burgeoning global population have contributed to the loss of 60% of the wildlife that inhabited this earth a generation ago. It is all frightening but we do have a choice as to how we live and what we consume.
