Intro To Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere due to human activities. Greenhouse gases are gases released into the atmosphere that trap heat causing the greenhouse effect and climate change. 

Common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Humans have played a large role in increasing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted at a faster rate. 

The burning of fossil fuels due to the rise of cities, factories, and vehicles have only increased over time and show no signs of stopping.

What Makes Up An Individual's Carbon Footprint?

An individual’s carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced by one’s own actions including the transportation taken, food eaten, clothes bought, and more. Companies have carbon footprints as well. A company’s carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted from its operations. This typically consists of burning fossil fuels to produce energy in different forms such as construction, the use of machinery, and other activities.

The Importance of the Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint is an essential tool used to measure human effects on climate change. It can also help visualize trends in emissions and map out  correlations between different factors. For example, the carbon footprint can show how certain industries release more of one type of greenhouse gas compared to others. This can be useful in creating solutions to combat greenhouse gas emissions in the industry.