Question

Explain in essay format two ways how one can change their lifestyle to reduce green house gas emissions (carbon foot print)?

Answer 1

Answer

A carbon footprint is that the quantity of greenhouse gases—primarily carbon dioxide—released into the atmosphere by specific human action. A carbon footprint will be a broad measure or be applied to the actions of an individual, a family, an event, a company, or maybe a whole nation.

First, calculate your carbon footprint

Your carbon footprint is that the quantity of greenhouse gases—including CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases, and others that you simply produce as you live your life. The Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project determined that so as to carry the worldwide temperature rise to 2˚C or less, everybody on earth can have to be compelled to average an annual carbon footprint of 1.87 tons by 2050. Currently, the typical U.S. per capita carbon footprint is 18.3 tons. By comparison, China’s per capita carbon emissions are 8.2 tons. we tend to all have a ways that to go to urge to 1.87 tons. Calculate your carbon footprint at carbonfootprint.com to seek out however you’re doing. The EPA’s carbon footprint calculator will show what proportion carbon and cash you'll save by taking a number of these steps.

Here are a number of the simplest ways that you can follow for reducing your carbon footprint.

I. Food

Eat low on the food chain. this suggests eating mostly fruits, veggies, grains, and beans. livestock meat and dairy are responsible for 14.5 % of manmade international greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from feed production and process, and also the methane (25 times stronger than CO2 at trapping heat within the atmosphere over one hundred years) that beef and sheep belch out. daily that you simply forgo meat and dairy, you'll cut back your carbon footprint by 8 pounds—that’s 2,920 pounds a year. you'll start by joining meatless Mondays.

• purchase foodstuffs in bulk when possible using your own reusable container.
• opt for organic and native foods that are in season. Transporting food from far away, whether by truck, ship, rail or plane, uses fossil fuels for fuel and for cooling to stay foods in transit from spoiling.
• cut back your food waste by designing meals ahead of time, cooling the excess, and reusing leftovers.

• Compost your food waste if possible.

II. Transportation

Because electricity more and more comes from natural gas and renewable energy, transportation became the foremost source of U.S. CO2 emissions in 2017. an average car produces concerning 5 tons of CO2 annually (although this varies in line with the kind of car, its fuel potency, and the way it’s driven). creating changes in how you get around can considerably cut your carbon budget.

• Drive less. Walk, take public transportation, carpool, rideshare, or bike to your destination when attainable. This not solely reduces greenhouse gas emissions, however it conjointly lessens traffic congestion and also the idling of engines that accompanies it.
• If you want to drive, avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration. Some studies found that aggressive driving may result in 40 % additional fuel consumption than consistent, calm driving.
• take care of your car. Keeping your tires properly inflated will increase your fuel potency by 3 %, and guaranteeing that your car is correctly maintained will increase it by four percent. take away any additional weight from the car.
• once doing errands, attempt to mix them to cut back your driving.
• Use traffic apps like Waze to assist avoid obtaining stuck in traffic jams.
• On longer trips, turn on the cruise control, which may save gas.
• Use less air conditioning while you drive, even when the weather is hot.
• If you’re buying a brand new car, think about buying a hybrid or electric vehicle. however, do factor in the greenhouse emission emissions from the production of the car in addition to its operation. Some electrical vehicles are at first responsible for more emissions than internal combustion engine vehicles because of manufacturing impacts, however, they create up for it after 3 years. These app rates cars based on their mileage, fuel type, and emissions from each of the production of the car and, if they are EVs, from generating the electricity to run them.

Alternatives to driving when possible, walk or ride your bike in order to avoid carbon emissions fully. Carpooling and public transportation drastically cut back co2 emissions by spreading them out over several riders.
Solving global climate change could be an immense international challenge. solely a concerted international effort, involving the governments of all nations, will be enough to avert dangerous consequences. but that said, the individual actions of everyday people are still crucial. giant and complicated problems, like global climate change, are sometimes best tackled by breaking down the problem into manageable bits.