Carbon Footprint is may surprise some readers but it is very important concept of 21st century. I asked from a person, what is carbon footprint? Do you know something about it?. He laughed at me and amazed how carbon may walk. I explained it with a simple manner, when carbon may walk through the environment, it emits some hazardous gases that will harm the whole ecosystem of earth especially troposphere. Carbon foot print means “ the total sets of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person”. Greenhouse gasses are the major reason behind the intense warming, sea level rising, threatening marine life, urban heat waves, major cardiovascular diseases, and much more.

Greenhouse gases can be emitted through transport, land clearance and the production and consumption of food, fuels, manufactured goods, materials, woods, roads, building and services. For reporting Carbon footprint expresses in terms ID the amount of carbon dioxide.

How to calculate Carbon footprint?

There are various methods through the carbon emissions may be calculated. Once the assessment is done either individually or collectively. It will very easy to adopt the sustainable strategy to limit the emissions of carbon dioxide with different techniques.

1.Every individual may calculated its carbon footprint by sum of all carbon dioxide emissions in a particular time framework. Furthermore, the carbon footprint may calculated once in a year.

2. Equivalent CO2 amount: all greenhouse gasses i.e. Methane and ozone emissions are taking account for the carbon footprint. The effects of greenhouse gases are equal to carbon dioxide and industries are used this method for the assessment of carbon dioxide emissions.

3. Fewer people express their carbon footprint in KG carbon.

4. There are several website for personal calculations that can help to know emissions of carbon dioxide through different routine activities. For example if a person use private car to go office, he adds some carbon into the environment instead he used public transport to limit the emissions.

Types of Carbon Footprint

There are two types of carbon footprint.

1 Organizational Carbon Footprint

The emissions of carbon dioxide through various activities of organization to meet the demand, come under the organizational carbon footprint.

According to the “Greenhouse Gas Protocol” the direct and Indirect greenhouse gas emissions are divided into the following three categories.

a.     Direct Greenhouse Gas Emissions

These are the emissions created by the organizations assess and production processes such as on-site waste, for production process, vehicle use for transportation of employees, materials, products and waste etc.

b.     Indirect GHG Emissions (The energy suppliers emissions)

Emissions created by the use of electricity, heat and steam purchased for in-premises use of the company or organization.

c.      Indirect GHG Emissions other than b category.

Emissions created from activities needed for the company to function but not made by the company itself. Extraction and transportation of raw material from suppliers, transportation of fuel for use, recycling, waste transfer and disposal are the examples.

2. Product Carbon Footprint

It means the total emissions of any product from manufacturing to finishing of a product (life cycle). Every product has its own life cycle of emissions and may vary from on product to another.

Ways To Reduce Carbon Footprint

The following ten action items are based on the “kicking the CO2 habit”

a.     Political Consensus in decision making

Nothing can be achieved without political will. It’s the responsibility of all stake holders and environmental organizations to spread an awareness in the society. It will make the consensus among the masses and will put pressure in the political arena while politicians are asking for votes during the election. Assessment is very important for any political move in regard to political will.

b.     Eat less Red meat.

Traditional red meat comes from ruminant livestock such as cattle and sheep. These animals produce large amount of methane, which is greenhouse gas that packs 72 times the punch of CO2 over a 20-year period.

c.      Purchase “Green Electricity”

The renewable energy such as solar, wind and wave power should be adopted in the national policies to produce electricity. The Green Power is electricity that comes from these technologies, but is delivered to you in the same way as “dirty power” from fossil fuel burning.

d.     Make Your Home And  Household Energy-Efficient

All home appliance and household product should be purchased on less consumption priority. It will limit the emission level from the grassroots level because the electricity comes from fossil fuels.

e.     Buy Energy And Water Efficient Appliances

Investment in sensible technologies is the need of time all the appliance such as electronics appliances, air conditioners or washing machines. The more energy efficient they are, the more they’ll save you in the long run, and the lower their CO2 impact will be.

F. Walk, cycle or take public transport.

Private transport should become the tip priority of people instead of private transport. Private transport emits Thousand of carbon dioxide daily and destroy the whole troposphere and warm the environment. Thus, public transport should be promoted through national and international media and different platforms.

G. Recycle, Reuse, and Avoid useless Purchases

If a person want to show it status, he should buy luxurious things without any reason and not used it properly before throwing. It is the myth of developing countries and the people become proud of this behavior. Unfortunately, this type of culture may lead our planet towards devastation rapidly. This behavior should be changed as every religion prohibits excessive use of anything without necessary.

H. Telecommute & Teleconference

In New Normal, technology should be used national and international level to reduce the carbon emissions. When a person move from one country to another country how much carbon is produced through one’s activity around the whole trip. So, Telecommute & Teleconference should become important point of all charter and policy making documents.

I. Buy local purchase

It is the drawback of Globalization, that a huge varieties of a single product are available in the market. People should buy the local products rather than international products as least possible.

J. Offset what you can’t save

Yet some emissions are unavoidable. For those offsetting is a worthwhile option. This is done, especially in the developed world, by purchasing ‘Carbon Credit’ from accredited companies which offer this service, who will invest those dollars in renewable energy projects or planting trees.

About the Author: Muhammad Owais is a Geologist and an Educationist with an aim to work for environment, climate, and sustainable development. He is lecturer at ALLAMA Iqbal Open University Islamabad and Professional Mentor for Jobs Preparation. He stands up to review the educational curriculum that spurs the motivation among students of climate change that is the only way forward.