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Carbon Footprints

This category is for questions about the amount of greenhouse gases produced by various entities.

463 Questions

How does a carbon footprint harm the planet?

Things with large carbon footprints do damage to the earth by releasing large amounts of carbon. Things with small carbon footprints do little damage.

A carbon footprint is just a number, telling you how much carbon is produced in the making, producing, transporting and using of a certain thing. This thing could be a car, or a bottle of beer, or a tin of vegetables, or your house, or even you.

For example, the carbon footprint of a tin of vegetables that was produced on the other side of the world would consider the collection, transport, cooking and canning of the crop. It would then factor in the cost of transportation half way round the world, by ship, air, truck and perhaps your own vehicle. Compare this to vegetables grown in your own garden, or at least in your own local area.

So an item with a large carbon footprint releases more carbon into the atmosphere, adding to the greenhouse gases already there, and contributing to global warming, much more than an item with a small carbon footprint.

What is the carbon footprint of an active volcano?

The exact carbon footprint of an active volcano can vary greatly depending on its size, frequency of eruptions, and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during eruptions. However, volcanoes are considered significant natural sources of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, contributing to the Earth's carbon cycle.

Conclusion for impact of human activities on the environment?

Human activities have had a significant impact on the environment, leading to deforestation, pollution of air, water, and land, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. It is crucial for individuals, businesses, and governments to take action to mitigate these effects through sustainable practices, conservation efforts, and the promotion of renewable energy sources to ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for all living beings on Earth.

What are the top ten countries in the world for carbon sequestration?

The top countries for carbon sequestration include Brazil, Russia, China, Canada, and the United States, due to their vast forested areas. Other countries such as Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Australia, India, and Argentina also play significant roles in carbon sequestration through their forests and ecosystems. These countries help absorb and store large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, contributing to global climate regulation.

Use example to explain the terms ecological footprint and cultural imprint?

Ecological footprint refers to the amount of resources an individual or population consumes compared to what the Earth can sustainably provide. For example, if an individual's carbon emissions from transportation exceed what the environment can absorb, it contributes to a larger ecological footprint. Cultural imprint, on the other hand, refers to the impact of a society's beliefs, values, and traditions on the environment, such as practices that may harm ecosystems or biodiversity due to cultural norms.

What are the patterns of energy consumption?

Energy consumption patterns are based on the economy of a specific country. If you consume large amounts of energy you need to find ways how to conserve and get energy that can be substituted for it.

What is the carbon footprint of a pair of jeans?

The carbon footprint of a pair of jeans varies depending on factors like the production method, transportation, and materials used. On average, producing a pair of jeans emits about 33-34 kilograms of CO2e. Recycled or sustainably produced jeans may have a lower carbon footprint.

What produces more green house gas cars or AC?

Cars generally produce more greenhouse gas emissions compared to air conditioners. The emissions from cars come primarily from burning gasoline or diesel fuel, while air conditioners emit greenhouse gases indirectly through electricity consumption, which often comes from fossil fuel sources.

Can staples in paper be recycled?

Yes, in one of the first steps in the recycling process various things, such as metals, are removed. These metals are then sent to another recycling plant where they can individually be recycled. So it does need to be removed before they pick up your recycling bin.

What is more ecologically friendly a pen or a pencil?

Pencils are generally more ecologically friendly than pens because they produce less waste. Pencils are made from wood, which is a renewable resource, while pens are often made from plastic that can contribute to landfill waste. Additionally, pencils are easier to recycle than pens.

How long does a box of tissues last on average?

The longevity of a box of tissues depends on usage frequency and the number of tissues in the box. On average, a standard box of tissues containing around 80-100 tissues may last a household a couple of weeks to a month. However, households with higher usage or larger families may go through a box more quickly.

Does drive-through have a bigger carbon footprint than take-out from the same fast food restaurant?

Depend if you keep your engine running in the queue for the drive through.

The packaging for the food will be similar, and although you get your drive through in a bag, if you went in and ate they put that paper cover on the tray.

If you have a vege burger, with salad, that will lower the foot print still further, won't taste as good as a 1/4 pounder with cheese though! Otherwise the difference will be negligible.

Learn more about carbon footprinting at the link below.

How did the San bushmen respect the natural environment?

The San bushmen respected the natural environment by relying on sustainable hunting and gathering practices, moving frequently to avoid overexploitation of resources, and adhering to traditional knowledge and rituals that reinforced their spiritual connection to nature. They viewed the land as sacred and maintained a deep respect for the plants and animals they relied on for survival.

How does electricity affect our environment?

Yes, electricity generation has a huge effect on the environment.

Most electricity is generated by power plants using non-renewable fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. All these fuels release carbon dioxide, a dangerous greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Most scientists agree that this is causing global warming.

A small part of electricity generation comes from nuclear power plants. There are great difficulties in storing waste from nuclear power plants, and there is danger for spillage and leakage.

Renewable energy sources are far better for the environment:

* Solar Power * Hydro-electric power * Wind Power * Tidal Power * Ocean Wave Power * Geothermal Power * Ocean Thermal Power

How can you use canvas bags instead of plastic ones?

Reusable bags are a great and easy way to help the environment. Plastic bags harm the environment because of the chemicals used to produce them are damaging, and once the made is made, it will not biodegrade. But make sure you're using that eco friendly bag to buy other green products! :) Pure and Gentle Soap is a great company that put the environment first! Check them out at: www.pureandgentlesoap.com

What does an econimist do?

An economist studies and analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. They use economic theories and data to provide insights and make predictions about the behavior of individuals, businesses, and governments in various economic systems. Economists often work in academia, government, or industry to inform decision-making and policy development.

Is it irresponsible for a prominent liquid packaging company not to make their products in the United Kingdom locally kerbside recyclable?

Yes. Two of the many environmental concerns these days are the amount of waste going into landfills, and the production of greenhouse gases. These two concerns are related. For landfills add to the presence of greenhouse gases. The kind of decomposition that takes place in landfills is called anaerobic. The reason that it's so called is the lack of oxygen. And oxygen-starved decomposition leads to the production of methane, which is one of the greenhouse gases. So businesses and individuals can help fight this double-edged problem by putting into practice a popular contemporary slogan: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Restore. Increasing the amount of curbside recyclables, and decreasing the amount of curbside trash pick-up, would apply all four pillars in one fell swoop. For recyclable products reuse resources, and restore balance to that threshold where wilderness and urbanization interface by reducing resource exhaustion.

How many years does it take to offset the carbon footprint of a wind turbine?

The time it takes for a wind turbine to offset its carbon footprint varies depending on factors like the turbine's location and size. On average, a wind turbine typically offsets its carbon footprint within 6 months to a year of operation.

What type of questions would you ask on an interview about carbon footprint?

  1. Can you explain what a carbon footprint is and why it's important?
  2. How do you think individuals can reduce their carbon footprint in their daily lives?
  3. What strategies would you suggest for a company looking to lower its carbon footprint?

What is the carbon footprint of a 2x4 lumber?

The carbon footprint of a 2x4 lumber depends on various factors such as the type of wood, sourcing, processing, and transportation. On average, the production of lumber generates about 1.9 kg of CO2 per kg of wood. However, sustainable forestry practices and using local sources can help reduce the carbon footprint associated with 2x4 lumber.

Who coined the term carbon footprint?

"Ecological footprint" was coined in 1992 by Canadian biologist Bill Reese, and referred to the amount of land, in acres, needed to support a given human population. The phrase evolved into "carbon footprint" influenced by Vice President Al Gore in the mid 1990s.

LT in Oregon

Carbon footprint of 1 gallon of water?

The carbon footprint of 1 gallon of water varies depending on the source and method of production. However, typical estimates suggest that producing and treating 1 gallon of tap water in the US produces about 0.24 pounds of CO2 equivalent emissions. This includes energy used in pumping, treating, and distributing water.

What is the carbon footprint of a single regular tee shirt?

Carbon footprint is a number telling you the amount of carbon emitted in the growing, harvesting, production and transport of the item in question, here a t-shirt.

It is impossible to give an answer for all t-shirts, as there will be many different possibilities.

* Cotton needs a lot of water. Was the cotton grown in a country where there was plenty of water available? * What happened to the bushes after the cotton was harvested? Were they burnt in the field or in a biofuel plant? Were they put back into the soil as fertilizer?

* Did the cotton need a lot of fertilizer and pesticide? Were these organic or manufactured? * How far was the cotton transported from crop to mill? How was it moved? * What sort of energy was used to spin the cotton and produce the t-shirt? * How much packaging was used to package the t-shirt? Was it plastic or paper?

* How was the t-shirt transported from factory to shop? How much fossil fuel was used for its transport? How many miles did it travel? * How did it travel after you bought it? Did it go in your own vehicle? Powered by fossil fuel (gasoline)? * How often do you wash it? Do you always use a full load in the washing machine? Do you use hot or cold water? Do you use biodegradable washing powder?

What are some major disadvantages of the Oil and Tar Sands?

It is somewhat more energy intensive to recover oil from oil sands than it is from conventional oil wells. The "oil" in oil sands is closer to tar and will not flow unless heated or diluted with lighter hydrocarbons. Recovery is usually by either strip mining (where the oil sand is closer to the surface) or by injecting steam, solvents, and/or hot air into the sand (where the sands are deeper). Once the tar/oil is recovered, it must be further pre-processed to turn it into a form that can be handled by conventional oil refineries. This usually requires 3 steps:

  1. removal of water, sand, physical waste, and lighter products,
  2. catalytic purification to remove sulfur, metals, and nitrogen,
  3. hydrogenation - usually through hydro-cracking.

These pre-processing steps take large amounts of energy and water, while emitting more carbon dioxide than conventional oil. Most of the oil sands that are currently used as sources of oil use processes that require quite a bit of water for the recovery process. For this reason 'sine' oil sand deposits are even more difficult to process. For example the large oil sand deposits in eastern Utah, which is quite arid, are not being mined.

There are also political considerations:

President Clinton, by executive order, placed most of the oil sand deposits in eastern Utah off limits for development (some have speculated that it was in retaliation for finishing 3rd in Utah in the Presidential election of 1992 behind Bush and Perot - Bush 43.36, Perot 27.34%, Clinton 24.65%). At the very least, order was driven by eco-politics rather than any issues with technology or economics.

One of the largest oil sand deposits in the world is located in Venezuela which nationalized its oil industry in 1975-1976 placing it under the country's state-run oil and natural gas company but allowed for some private development. In 2001, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez imposed a new Hydrocarbons Law that raised royalties paid by private companies from 1-17% to 20-30%. In 2007, Chávez announced the nationalization of the oil industry and required that all private companies hand over majority ownership to the government of Venezuela. Any company that refused to sign over the majority ownership simply had all their assets seized and turned over to the state-run oil company. This put a damper on oil sand development since the companies with expertise to develop it were no longer willing to risk losing their investment to another seizure by the Chávez government.

What is the carbon footprint of a fast-food burger?

The carbon footprint of a fast-food burger can depend on many things. First, it depends on the restaurant. Secondly, it depends on the method of transporting. Finally, it depends on the preparation of the food. The average footprint for a burger is 6.3-6.8 lbs (3kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent per burger.