Part of understanding how to define a carbon footprint is learning that actions have consequences. As the only species able to alter the environment, we need to understand the impact of our activities and how to correct damaging actions.

How To Define A Carbon Footprint

Greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun and contribute to a rise in the average global air temperature. One of the largest contributors to this negative impact is carbon dioxide. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases in a number of ways, including deforestation, power generation and fossil fuels burned for transportation.

In order to understand the pervasive nature of carbon emissions, the carbon footprint has been promoted as a method to assess and acknowledge the unseen cost of human activities. But what exactly is a carbon footprint? Let’s find out:

• By the dictionary. A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions used to directly or indirectly support and individual, group or organization. The carbon footprint is typically expressed in tons of carbon dioxide produced per year.
• In simple terms. Any food, product or activity that you engage in requires energy to grow, produce or transport. Each of these activities produces a certain amount of greenhouse gas emissions. By adding these amounts up, a total number (your carbon footprint) can be determined.
• What’s included. Although carbon dioxide is the main culprit, methane and nitrous oxide can also be included using conversion formulas.
• Some examples. Electricity generation accounts for about half of all carbon dioxide emissions—the average coal-fired power plant emits 2 pounds of carbon dioxide for each kilowatt-hour of electricity generated. Transportation contributes about one quarter of all carbon dioxide emissions—1 gallon of gas results in almost 20 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions!
• Cradle to grave. A common method of calculating emissions is to consider the total life cycle of a given product. In other words, not only the emissions produced by production, but also the carbon cost of gathering the raw materials, transporting the materials to the factory, producing the product, packaging the product and transporting it to market. As you can see, it all adds up very quickly!