What is a CARBON FOOTPRINT? How to calculate and reduce it? | Climate change

Summary

In this informative video, Alex explains the concept of carbon footprint, its calculation, and the necessity of reduction. He illustrates how to assess individual and collective carbon emissions and suggests practical ways to minimize them, such as using renewable energy, reducing meat consumption, and making smart investment choices. The video also addresses the limitations of carbon offsets and emphasizes the need for systemic change to transition away from fossil fuels.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script introduces the concept of a 'carbon footprint' and distinguishes it from the broader 'ecological footprint'.
• 🔍 It explains that a carbon footprint is the amount of CO2 equivalent released into the atmosphere due to human activities.
• 🌍 The script mentions that carbon footprints can be calculated for the world, a country, a business, an individual, an event, or a product.
• 🚗 It highlights that transportation, especially using vehicles that burn fossil fuels, contributes significantly to carbon emissions.
• 🔋 The video discusses the impact of electric vehicles on carbon footprint, emphasizing the source of electricity as a key factor.
• 📝 The script suggests using online calculators to estimate one's carbon footprint, mentioning specific websites for different countries.
• 🌡️ It underscores the scientific consensus on the link between fossil fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming.
• 🌳 The video introduces 'carbon offsets' as a method to fund projects that reduce carbon emissions, such as tree planting or renewable energy.
• 🚫 However, it cautions that carbon offsets are not a long-term solution and should not be seen as a substitute for reducing emissions at the source.
• 🏡 The script provides practical examples of how individuals can reduce their carbon footprint, such as living in smaller homes, improving insulation, and using renewable energy.
• 💼 It also touches on the role of financial institutions in carbon emissions and the potential impact of making smarter investment choices.
• 🗳️ Lastly, the video calls for systemic change, encouraging viewers to vote for leaders who will help create new systems to address carbon emissions.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video script?

The primary focus of the video script is to explain the concept of carbon footprint, how it is calculated, why it is important to reduce it, and ways to reduce it.

What is the relationship between ecological footprint and carbon footprint?

The carbon footprint is a part of the ecological footprint, representing the amount of CO2 equivalent released into the atmosphere as a result of our activities.

What are the main sources of carbon emissions mentioned in the script?

The main sources of carbon emissions mentioned are the burning of fossil fuels and the production of electricity, especially in countries where a significant portion of electricity comes from fossil fuels.

How can one calculate their carbon footprint?

One can calculate their carbon footprint using online calculators that account for factors such as energy consumption for heating, transportation, food, clothing, technology, and investment.

What is the average carbon footprint in Canada compared to the world's average?

The speaker's carbon footprint of 8.63 is significantly lower than the average in Canada but higher than the world's average and the worldwide target.

Why is it necessary to reduce carbon emissions according to the script?

It is necessary to reduce carbon emissions because the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels has caused the Earth's temperature to rise to levels not seen in the past 400,000 years, as evidenced by ice core data from Antarctica.

What is carbon offsetting and how does it work?

Carbon offsetting involves paying a certain amount of money based on one's emissions to fund projects that reduce an equivalent amount of carbon emissions elsewhere in the world, such as tree planting or building renewable energy facilities.

What are some practical ways to reduce an individual's carbon footprint mentioned in the script?

Some practical ways to reduce an individual's carbon footprint include living in a smaller home, improving insulation, using renewable energy sources, reducing electricity use, walking or biking more, driving efficient vehicles, flying less, eating less meat, and being mindful of investments.

How does the script suggest using investments to reduce carbon footprint?

The script suggests being smart with investments by choosing financial institutions that do not invest in fossil fuels, as most banking and finance organizations currently invest in fossil fuels.

What role does the script suggest for voting and political action in reducing carbon footprints?

The script suggests that voting for politicians who will help create new systems and taking action are essential for reducing carbon footprints on a systemic level, beyond individual actions.

How does the script address the disparity in carbon footprints among different income groups?

The script points out that the top 10% of the population with the highest income has a collective carbon footprint nearly equal to the other 90%, indicating a dysfunctional system that needs to be addressed.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Understanding Carbon Footprint

In this paragraph, Alex introduces the concept of a carbon footprint, explaining it as part of our ecological footprint which represents the amount of CO2 equivalent released into the atmosphere due to our activities. He clarifies that carbon footprint is primarily from burning fossil fuels and that it's calculated by considering energy use, transportation, and consumption habits. Alex emphasizes the importance of reducing our carbon footprint to mitigate the effects of climate change and provides a personal example, sharing that his carbon footprint is 8.63 metric tons, which is lower than the Canadian average but higher than the global target. He also mentions the role of carbon offsets as a way to fund environmental projects but cautions that they are not a long-term solution to the problem of carbon emissions.

05:06

🚀 Strategies to Reduce Carbon Footprint

The second paragraph delves into practical ways to reduce an individual's carbon footprint. Alex suggests various lifestyle changes such as improving home insulation, using renewable energy sources like geothermal power, reducing electricity consumption, opting for efficient vehicles, and minimizing air travel. He also highlights dietary choices, recommending reduced meat consumption, particularly beef, due to its high carbon emissions. Furthermore, Alex discusses the impact of investment practices, pointing out that many financial institutions invest in fossil fuels, and suggests being mindful of where our money is being invested as a means to reduce our indirect carbon emissions. He concludes by emphasizing collective action and voting for leaders who will support the creation of sustainable systems, and invites viewers to share their carbon footprint and reduction strategies in the comments section.

Keywords

💡Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, that are emitted directly or indirectly by human activities and are expressed in units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). In the video, it is the central theme, explaining how it is calculated and the importance of reducing it to mitigate climate change. The script mentions that carbon footprints can be calculated for the world, a country, a business, or an individual.

💡Ecological Footprint

Ecological footprint is a measure of the amount of land and water area required to support a person's lifestyle, including the resources consumed and the waste produced. The video script uses it as a basis to introduce the concept of carbon footprint, stating that carbon is a significant part of one's ecological footprint, with about half of the narrator's ecological footprint being carbon.

💡Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon-based natural resources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, that are formed from the remains of ancient organic matter. The script discusses how burning fossil fuels is a major source of carbon emissions, contributing to the carbon footprint, and provides a visual representation of the extraction process.

💡CO2 Equivalent

CO2 equivalent is a metric used to compare the emissions of various greenhouse gases on the basis of their global warming potential relative to that of carbon dioxide. The script uses this term to simplify the comparison of different greenhouse gases by converting them into an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide.

💡Carbon Offsets

Carbon offsets are a form of tradeable certificate or permit that represents the reduction of one ton of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. The script explains that offsets can be purchased to support projects that reduce emissions elsewhere, but also emphasizes that they are not a long-term solution and should not replace direct emission reduction efforts.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy refers to energy that comes from resources that are naturally replenished, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat. The video mentions using renewable energy sources like geothermal power and hydroelectricity as a way to reduce one's carbon footprint.

💡Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is the process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases, and is re-radiated in all directions. The script discusses the impact of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, on the Earth's temperature, which is a key component of the climate change issue.

💡Emission Reduction

Emission reduction refers to the decrease in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. The video script emphasizes the need for emission reduction to combat global warming, with carbon footprint reduction being a part of this broader effort.

💡Sustainable Living

Sustainable living is a lifestyle that aims to reduce an individual's or society's use of natural resources and personal or societal ecological footprint. The script suggests various ways to reduce one's carbon footprint, such as living in a smaller home, improving insulation, using efficient vehicles, and reducing meat consumption, which all align with sustainable living practices.

💡Investment

In the context of the video, investment refers to the financial contributions individuals make through mortgages, insurance, and other financial products. The script points out that being smart with investments can help reduce one's carbon footprint, as many financial institutions invest in fossil fuels, contributing to the overall emissions.

💡UNEP Gap Report

The UNEP Gap Report is an annual publication by the United Nations Environment Programme that assesses the gap between current efforts and what is required to limit global warming. The script cites the report to highlight the disproportionate carbon footprint of the wealthiest 10% of the population, emphasizing the need for systemic change.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of carbon footprint and its importance in the context of ecological footprint.

Explanation of how carbon footprint is calculated and its significance in global warming.

The role of fossil fuels in contributing to carbon emissions and the impact of their extraction on the environment.

The concept of CO2 equivalent as a simplified measure for comparing greenhouse gas emissions.

The proportion of carbon in an individual's ecological footprint, with a global average of about 60%.

The ability to calculate carbon footprints at various scales, including the world, a country, or an individual.

The impact of transportation methods, such as electric vehicles, on carbon footprints and the source of electricity.

The process of calculating personal carbon footprint using online tools and the factors considered.

The presenter's personal carbon footprint of 8.63 metric tons and its comparison to global and local averages.

The scientific consensus on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change.

The concept of carbon offsets as a means to fund environmental projects and their limitations.

The importance of addressing the root causes of carbon emissions to prevent further extraction of fossil fuels.

Practical steps individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint, such as living in smaller homes and using renewable energy.

The influence of dietary choices, particularly meat consumption, on carbon emissions.

The potential impact of investment choices on carbon footprints and the role of financial institutions.

The disproportionate carbon footprint of the wealthiest 10% of the population compared to the rest of the world.

The call to action for viewers to calculate their carbon footprint and engage in discussions on reduction strategies.

The invitation for viewers to support the creation of more educational content through Patreon.

The encouragement for viewers to subscribe and engage with the content for future updates.

Transcripts

Hi folks, Alex here. This is pure carbon. So, technically, this is a carbon footprint,

right? Sort of… In this video, we are going to explain what we really mean by carbon footprint,

how it is calculated, why we need to reduce it and how to reduce it with lots of examples.

Ok, let’s get drawing!

In a previous video I explained what is our ecological footprint. In a nutshell, it is

how much land and water area we need to produce the resources we use and to absorb our waste.

Here is a link to that video if you haven’t seen it. One resource that we use a lot of

is carbon, mostly from the burning of fossil fuels. [Now, this is a cute drawing but truly

THIS is what fossil fuels extraction looks like nowadays] When we do that, it produces

greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. There are other greenhouse gases but to keep it

simple and easy to compare, we count it as CO2 equivalent. So part of our ecological

footprint is actually our carbon footprint: it is amount of CO2 equivalent that is released

into the atmosphere as a result of our activities. In my case, about half my ecological footprint

is carbon and worldwide it is about 60%. We can also calculate the carbon footprint of

the world, a country, a business, an individual, an event, a product, etc. For example, when

we travel with a vehicle that burns fossil fuels, it clearly releases carbon into the

atmosphere. If I use an electric vehicle, then the question is: how is the electricity

produced? In the United States and China for instance, the two countries with the largest

carbon footprint, about 65% of the electricity is produced from fossil fuels so there is

a good chance that an electric car generates a lot of CO2. But I am already getting into

how the carbon footprint is calculated so how do we do that?

Well, you are going to need a pen, a notebook, a calculator, no I am kidding, calculating

your carbon footprint is like many other things nowadays, there is a website for it. If you

are in the US I recommend this one. If you are in the UK, I recommend this one. If you

are anywhere else, I recommend this one. Essentially, you enter how much energy it takes to heat

your home, how much driving and flying you do, how much money you spend on food, clothes,

technology, investment, etc. and the engine behind it translates everything into how many

metric tons of CO2 equivalent that is. Adding it all up at the end, you get your carbon

footprint. Mine is 8.63. It is significantly lower than the average in Canada where I live

but you can see that it is significantly higher than the world’s average and, more importantly,

to the worldwide target.

Where does this target come from? The scientific community agrees that when we use fossil fuel,

it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which makes its temperature rise. We have

emitted so much of these greenhouse gases over the past century that the earth is getting

warmer than it has been over the past 400,000 years (we found that out by drilling ice cores

in Antartica which is the topic of another video you can watch if you like). So we need

to reduce our emissions which means we need to reduce our carbon footprint.

How do we do that? One option is carbon offsets. This means paying a certain amount of money,

depending on your emissions, that will go toward a program designed to reduce the same

amount of carbon emissions somewhere in the world: either by planting trees, building

a wind farm, a solar power plant, etc. When you calculate your carbon footprint, some

calculators will give you a link to offset your carbon emissions. If I chose this one

for instance, it would cost me less than 100$ (Canadian) to offset my carbon emissions for

the entire year. Great deal, right! But here is the rub: Planting trees does not make airplanes

fly. YET! So offsetting does not keep the fossil fuels (the carbon) in the ground. It

just transfers the problem onto another project somewhere else in the world while we keep

extracting them. In a way, it is like killing panda bears and donating to WWF to protect

them. Carbon offsets should be seen as a great way to fund tree planting and renewable energy

projects around the world in order to transition away from fossil fuels. NOT as a long term

solution. The best way to reduce my carbon footprint is to address its root causes so

the carbon is not extracted in the first place. I can live in a smaller home, improve its

insulation, heat it with geothermal energy for instance, use less electricity, have more

of my electricity produced from renewable energy, walk and bike to drive less with in

car, when I do drive, use a very efficient vehicle, maybe an electric vehicle given that

the electricity is mostly hydro where I live, fly less, eat less meat, especially beef which

generates a lot of carbon emissions. And finally, one we don’t talk about very often: be smart

with my investments, meaning the money I give to financial institutions through my mortgage

and insurance products. Why? Because most banking and finance organizations invest my

money into… fossil fuels. According to carbonfootprint.com, if I cut my mortgage, it would reduce my total

annual carbon footprint by 2 metric tons, 20% of my total carbon footprint! Finally,

according to the 2020 gap report published by UNEP, the 10% part of the population that

earns the most money have just about the same collective carbon footprint as the other 90%

so it is our entire system that is dysfunctional and at the end of the day, the best way to

reduce our carbon footprint is to take action and to vote for those who will help create

the new systems that we need.

If you calculated your carbon footprint as well and feel comfortable sharing it, please

let me know in the comments below how much it is and what you are doing to reduce it.

I hope you found this video useful. If you would like to help me create more free videos

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