Sun Media: Elizabeth Johns

After years of always remembering to turn off the lights when I leave the room, it’s actually disheartening to learn I still emit 1,378 lbs. of carbon a month, which probably works out to more than 413,000 lbs. over 25 years, which is like 51 elephants, according to my wholly unscientific method.

Ever since former U.S. vice-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore uttered the words carbon footprint it seems that more and more people are trying to reduce theirs.

A carbon footprint is basically an average measurement of the volume of greenhouse gases we each produce. Some are measured in tonnes, others in pounds, others in land acreage.

LARGEST SOURCE

A study contracted by the city in 2004 found Ottawa’s total greenhouse gas emissions were 4.6 million tonnes. The largest sources of emissions were from the buildings sector (58%) and transportation (36%).

But how do we calculate our own?

A Google search produces dozens of carbon footprint calculators.

Environmentalist David Suzuki’s website at www.davidsuzuki.org offers several, ranging from the one-minute calculator at zerofootprint.net or more detailed ones that calculate how many flights you take in an average year, your annual household electrical, gas, oil and wood consumption, and how much meat you eat—if any.

To continue reading this article, click here.