What are Carbon Footprint and Carbon Offsetting?

Environmental issues are among the most pressing and challenging issues in the modern world, and several organizations have devised various strategies to address the natural imbalance. The release of such forms of gas into the atmosphere triggers man-made climate change, or global warming. Carbon emissions have had disastrous effects for humans and the environment. Carbon Footprint and Carbon Offsetting, in particular, have become critical in getting a deeper understanding of the gaseous emissions that have resulted in climate change.

What is Carbon Footprint?

Carbon footprints refers to the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by an individual or other entity's activities (e.g., building, corporation, country, etc.). It includes direct emissions from fossil-fuel combustion in manufacturing, heating, and transportation, as well as emissions associated with the production of energy for goods and services consumed. In addition, other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons are often included in the carbon footprint definition (CFCs).

Carbon footprint: The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted to sustain human activities directly and indirectly, typically expressed in equal tones of carbon dioxide, is known as the carbon footprint (CO2). Carbon foot printing can be divided into two groups, as shown below:

1. Organizational: Emissions from all of the company's operations, including energy usage, manufacturing processes, and company vehicles.

2. Product: Emissions from the extraction of raw materials and manufacturing rights to the use and eventual reuse, recycling, or disposal of a product or service.

It is a very effective method for determining the effects of individual actions on global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, as we all know, recognizes six greenhouse gases (GHGs), which are mentioned below:

1. Carbon dioxide (CO2)

2. Methane (CH4)

3. Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

4. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

5. Perfluorocarbon (PFCs)

6. Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

So the release of each of the above gasses would be counted in the Carbon Footprint.

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Steps to reduce carbon footprint

1. Using the 4 R’s- Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
   
   
   
2. By switching from a standard light bulb to a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), we can save 150 pounds of CO2 each year.
3. Carpooling and public transportation: We can minimize carbon emissions by biking, riding a bike, carpooling, and using public transportation.
4. By using recycled goods and materials, we can reduce carbon emissions.
5. It is always a good idea to plant a tree. Over the course of its life, a single tree can consume one ton of co2.
6. Reducing carbon footprint by using certified energy efficient appliances and equipment.
7. Encourage and promote policies in our society that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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What is Carbon Offsetting?

Carbon offsetting is the method of mitigating carbon emissions by creating renewable projects such as solar, wind, tidal energy, or reforestation. Greenhouse gas emissions are a global problem, and carbon offsets are based on the premise that any reduction in any region is worthwhile. It essentially calculates how much carbon dioxide (CO2) we have emitted simply by living our everyday lives.

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Carbon Footprint vs Ecological Footprint:

• The carbon footprint is not the same as the ecological footprint. While the carbon footprint focuses on measuring the use of bio-productive space, the ecological footprint focuses on measuring the emission of gases that lead to global warming.