My Carbon Footprint

[Kirby Quito]

I went to all three websites and was surprised at how high my carbon footprint was. I never realized how much little things such as driving to get food or going to the mall can really add up your miles per week/year. The first calculator I used was from the National Forest website. My carbon footprint for my car was 1.56 tons, for my airline usage it was 2.18 tons, and I wasn't sure about the bills since my parents for it so I had 0 tons for the utilities. My combined total for the year was 3.74 tons. The next calculator I used was from Nature.org and it estimated my carbon footprint was 14 tons per year. Lastly I used the BP energy calculator and it estimated I use 24049 kWh per year. I added all the calculators together and divided it by 3 to get my average and it equaled 8022.25.

All three calculators were very different and the one I believe was the most accurate was the one from Nature.org, it even broke down in pie graph form where all my CO2 emissions specifically go to. It was an easy calculator to answer and also read my calculations in the end. I liked the BP energy calculator the least because half of the questions I didn't even understand. I had to continuously check the info button to read what the question meant. Also I don't really travel or use public transportation so my footprint didn't seem very accurate.

Seeing my carbon footprint is eye opening because it shows how just one person can affect so much in so little time. To improve my footprint I can not use air conditioning when it's hot or a heater when it's cold, turn my car off if I'll be gone for more than 30 seconds, recycle everything that can be recycled, and make sure all lights and equipment is off when I'm leaving a room or not using something. These things are difficult to do but I think more people need to be informed. It's going to be a long process to get everybody to eventually 0 emissions but with knowledge and action it can be done. When people are notified correctly and efficiently more thing can get done.

[Ayde Mendoza]

Hello Kirby,
I was also shocked to see how my carbon footprint could affect so much in such little time. I think I will begin cutting down on the air conditioning and the ceiling fan. I am just so used to having air that if I keep on abusing the air, I will end up with no air some day! J/K . My family and I, recycle our own cans and plastic bottles and it pays off when we go drop them off at the recycle place. In the past we’ve actually made over 200 dollars in a month. It must of have been from having all those birthdays that Month. They say that I’m such a pain in the behind, but I really don’t care! I do believe that if we all encourage our family to be more conscious of their surroundings, maybe they’ll start understanding the world outside their inner circle. I don’t drive as often as you do, but I used to and it reminds me of how much gas I used to buy every other day. Now, I just drive to school and back. I like your last sentence on your post: “When people are notified correctly and efficiently, more things can get done”.

[Lindsay Huston]

I also appreciated the Nature.org carbon footprint-o-meter and accompanying graphs. It spelled everything out well. I agree that the more complicated the survey the less it ends up meaning to the user. Like you, I don't travel very much but I do use public transportation. It started out as way to save $ on gas, but now I like not having to fight the parking lots at FC.

Now that I have become aware of my own carbon footprint, I am also aware of how little most people know what the term means. When I mention what I have leaqrned in this class to date I get either blank stares or polite nods. A little education can go a long way: one person can affect the planet - now magnify that by the millions of people just in this state. If we all better managed out usage of air conditioning, car travel, air travel, recycling, electricity, etc., we can find the answer to The Inconvenient Truth in no time. I agree that zero emissions is a tough goal to reach, but with knowledge and action it can be done. Our generation can be the starting point. With luck and a lot of communication betweenour freinds, family (and children, hopefully) we can make the future a much brighter place.

[Katie Kapanoske]

Hi!
I definitely agree with what you’re saying, I as well had no idea how much the little things added up to be for my carbon footprint. I drive to Corona 5 out of 7 days and it’s a pain. So I was thinking maybe carpooling twice of three times a week would help. I also didn’t get the last website BP because it seemed very inaccurate with all the questions. Another thing I related to your blog was the air conditioning. I use my air conditioning every day when I go to work instead of rolling down my windows. But now that I have better knowledge of the situation I am more aware about my actions. Good luck in this class!!

[Herbert Del Valle]

Hi Kirby,

My name is Herbert. I was reading, and yeah it is an eye opener. The little things you do, have an effect on the world. Everything we do has an effect on this earth, and we should all try to make it better. Yeah, I try to do everything I can, like recycle everything I can, not drive so much, turn off lights that are not in use. The little things you know. Its sucks for us cause everyone before us was so irresponsible, and they leave us with such a big problem. I just hope everything turns out for the better. Well good luck with the online class!

[Sean Chamberlin]

Awesome!