Participation #3

[Bella]

My Results were all so different. I do not know which one to believe so i will believe the one that makes me look like a really good person.
5.1 metric tons http://www.natlforests.org
18 tons of co2 http://www.nature.org
38.2 tons of co2 http://www.bp.com

My average is 20.43 tons of co2
Honestly if i had to choose one of the surveys that was the most accurate i would say the second one that i did http://www.nature.org it asked the most detailed and relevant questions and i feel like i dont use as much energy as a normal person, considering the people i live with are fairly energy conscious.

Zero emissions? that seems nearly impossible just by looking at the "little" amount i use per year, i know there are some careless people out there. What i can do is make sure im saving up my money to purchase a more fuel efficient, maybe even a hybrid car, as if that wasn't already a plan with gas prices fluctuating the way they do. Another thing i can do is until i get my amazing new car, try to drive a whole lot less, my family lives in san francisco, i just go to school here, and my family is my life so i am constantly driving and flying down there. Maybe i could be more efficient by taking public transportation such as a bus, or a train, because flying sucks up a lot more. I wish more people would realize we all need to be at zero. But to be honest i didnt know i was doing any damage until now.

If we make it to 2015 yeah....im one of those crazies who is scared of 2012....anyways, its important to me because i want the world to be a better place for us all to live in. If we keep screwing with everything there wont be anything left. And if i have children i want them to be able to see blue skies, green grass, clouds and all the natural wonders we take for granted.

I cant wait to start being AMAZING at life!

[anDrea wise]

Bella,
I have to agree with you that there definitely are some careless people out there. I’m glad that in the more recent years there has been much more public education and worldwide actions on environmental issues, but despite this there are still some skeptics out there, and even people who are indifferent to the matter, and there are still those who just aren’t fully aware. For example, I consider myself a pretty environmentally aware person and do more than the “average” person to conserve and reduce where I can, but I didn’t realize just how bad planes are for the environment. My dad (who I am extremely close to – big time daddy’s girl here) lives in Dallas with a few of my sisters (who I love incredibly) and we make it a point to see each other at least twice year, so that’s quite a few flights. While driving there isn’t exactly my idea of a fun road trip, it is definitely doable and my husband and I have actually made plans for that to be our method of travel next time we visit. I agree that a lot of action needs to be taken now to preserve what little is left of our “natural wonders.”
~Drea

[charles]

So if your under the national average is that good or is that bad? Because I rarely travel flight since most of my family live near by.

[Lindsay Huston]

Even though I drive a car, I have taken public transportation (namely, the bus) to school. It started out as a way to save $ on gas because at the time gas was closing in on $4 per gallon. I liked not having to hassle with parking, and now I am pleased to learn that this helped lower my carbon footprint. It sounds like you travel a lot to be with your family; I do not think you are abusing the environment carbon-wise - like the careless people who have no concern or awareness of their tresspasses against Mother Earth. You are not one of those. I believe that these studies do well to make us aware of our lifestyles. Tyring to be a "zero" carbon footprinter is asking a lot, but it is possible. The more people that are aware of their own uses and abuses, the better.

I also want the world to be a better place for us all to live in. If we continue to learn about our impact on the environment and pass that on to our friends and children (and children's children) we can't help but surpass 2015 in better shape than we are now: blue skies, green grass, clouds and all the natural wonders to enjoy forever.

[Katie Kapanoske]

I agree with you that www.nature.org was the most accurate because of all the detailed questions it asked. But I can relate with you because I as well did not realize I was doing any harm until now. Its going to be hard to get to zero emissions like you said because you just never know and there are too many people in our society who like to rebel or just don’t have the needs to get a hybrid car so its pretty hard to determine of it can actually be done but lets all hope it can be done! I also want my children one day to see the blue skies and green grass. Good luck in this class!!

[Chris Aaron]

LMFAO to Mario Juswanto!

Hey Bella. Did you know your name means "beautiful girl" in Italian? also ... o my gosh! your plane tickets must be a huge portion of your carbon footprint. I recommend the train, just hop right on because its going there anyway! Haha … Sure we would all love to have 0 emissions, but the fact is we cant! Our technology isn’t advanced enough to find an alternative solution to gas and also make it affordable. If it was easy, we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. But we can all minimize and control our output. Good luck with doing so, because I know I am finding it difficult!

[Herbert Del Valle]

Hi Bella,

My name is Herbert. Its is scary to think what may happen in the future. A lot of people don’t know how much damage they are doing to this planet. I wish everybody knew and would try to get to zero emissions. Wow! You live far from your family. I wouldn’t know what to do if I lived that far from them. How do you do it? Do you live down here by yourself? Your not the only one thinking about 2012. Its scary to think about. I myself am thinking of trading in my car to get something hybrid. I want to feel like I’m doing my part. Something little, but at least its something.