HISTORY OF CARBON FOOTPRINT? A carbon footprint has historically been defined as the

total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.

It is probably an extension of the concept of "ecological footprints" developed by the ecologist William Rees at the University of British Columbia in the early 1990s. Dr. Mathis Wackernagel, executive director of the Global Footprint Network, states that the phrase "carbon footprint" received "its biggest boost in 2005 through an enormous BP media campaign on the carbon footprint.

WHAT IS CARBON FOOTPRINT?

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of CO2 (carbon dioxide), which were induced by your activities in a given time frame. Usually a carbon footprint is calculated for the time period of a year.

BASIC CALCULATION Fuel Unit CO2 emitted per

unit

Petrol 1 liter 2.3 kg

Gasoline 1 liter 2.3 kg

Diesel 1 liter 2.7 kg

Oil (heating) 1 liter 3.0 kg

If your car consumes 7.5 liter diesel per 100 km, then a drive of 300 km distance consumes 3 x 7.5 = 22.5 liter diesel, which adds 22.5 x 2.7 kg = 60.75 kg CO2 to your personal carbon footprint.

Each of the following activities add 1 kg of CO2 to your personal carbon footprint:

Travel by public transportation (train or bus) a distance of 10 to 12 km (6.5 to 7 miles)

Drive with your car a distance of 6 km or 3.75 miles (assuming 7.3 litres petrol per 100 km or 39 mpg)

Fly with a plane a distance of 2.2 km or 1.375 miles. Operate your computer for 32 hours (60 Watt consumption

assumed) Production of 5 plastic bags Production of 2 plastic bottles Production of 1/3 of an American cheeseburger

WHAT IS GHG? Greenhouse gases are those that can absorb and emit

infrared radiation . In order, the most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are:

 

Carbon dioxide is a so called greenhouse gas causing global warming . Other greenhouse gases which might be emitted as a result of your activities are e.g. methane and ozone. These greenhouse gases are normally also taken into account for the carbon footprint. They are converted into the amount of CO2 that would cause the same effects on global warming (this is called equivalent CO2 amount).

The carbon footprint is a very powerful tool to understand the impact of personal behaviour on global warming.

CO2 emissions from India

MAIN EFFECTS Climate Change

Climate change is the ultimate effect of large carbon footprints. Greenhouse gases, whether natural or human-produced, contribute to the warming of the planet. From 1990 to 2005, carbon dioxide emissions increased by 31 percent. By 2008, the emissions had contributed to a 35 percent increase in radiative warming, or a shift in Earth's energy balance toward warming, over 1990 levels.

Depletion of Resources Large carbon footprints deplete resources on large and small scales,

from a country's deforestation activities to one home's increased use of air conditioning. The more those with large carbon footprints use resources, the more greenhouse gases increase and spur further climate change

CASE STUDIES

INTERNATIONAL L’Oréal sites around the world are contributing to the group's ambitious

greenhouse gas reduction target: North Little Rock, Arkansas factory completed a hydropower agreement

in 2009 to halve its GHG emissions. Warehouse in Mexico City has one of the largest solar installations in

Latin America, and expects to reduce equivalent CO2 emissions by 54 tonnes a year.

Yichang factory in China has installed 2,000 solar tubes for the preheating of water, which will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 5.3 tonnes a year.

Factory in Burgos (Spain) has made a public commitment to be carbon neutral by 2015 by using green technologies including solar arrays, bio-fuel and geothermal energy.

INDIA L'Oreal's plant in Pune uses solar heating to preheat wash water, saving

93 tonnes of CO2 per year, or 6% of total energy use. There are 320 solar panels spread over 920m2.

CARBON FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR

HOW GREEN IS YOUR COLLEGE ?1. Does your college have a recycling programme for its waste

paper, cardboard, cans and bottles?

2. Does the college have a policy to use recycled paper?

3. Does your college seek to avoid the use of disposable paper, plastic, foam cups and plates?

4. Has the college eliminated the use of aerosol sprays and fire extinguishers that contain CFCs?

5. Does the college have an active policy and strategy to reduce its water consumption?

6. Does the college use environmentally-friendly cleaning liquids?

7. Does the college avoid the use of garden and household pesticides, using environmentally-friendly alternatives instead?

8. Does the college have an active policy and strategy to reduce its energy consumption?

9. Does the kitchen offer a choice of healthy foods, and discourage students from eating “junk” foods?

10. Does the kitchen collect its food waste to turn it into compost, or use it to feed dogs or pigs?

11. Does the college have houseplants in rooms and corridors?

12. Is the college making an effort to beautify its grounds?

13. Does the college provide environmental education and project-work for students and staff?

14. Does the college get involved in local environmental activities (both staff and students)?

15. Does the college invite speakers to talk to all about the environment and its problems?

16. Does the college library ever hold special exhibitions of books, magazines about the world environmental crisis?

17. Does the college have an environmental club or society?

18. Has your college ever undertaken an environmental audit of its activities and courses?

19. Has your college set up an Environmental action team to look into the kinds of actions which it could take?

20. Does the college encourage staff and students to take a positive attitude, building the belief that we CAN make a difference?

SCORING: Yes = 2 Partially, presently discussing this = 1 No = 0

REPORT CARD

35-40 = You are doing excellently!! Take a Green Medal!!

30-35 = You are doing quite well!

20-30 = You have made a start, but you are not yet a green college.

0-20 = Plenty of room for improvement, must do better next term!

Our college score is:

CONCLUSION We should take

measures to shorten our carbon footprint by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases mainly carbon dioxide.

WHY WE INITIATED THE CLUB? To calculate carbon footprint for various day to day

activities of an individual or an organization and then find and suggest measures to shorten (reduce) the footprint of an individual or an organization as a whole.

Also spread awareness among the students and people about the same and help to maintain planet green as a whole.

WHY SHOULD YOU SUPPORT THE CLUB ?

• Gain knowledge about the environment.

• Perform actions to improve the campus environment and maintain it green .

• Help to solve local environmental problems.

• Educate others about the environment.

• Enjoy yourself and have fun.

• Learn about clubs, and how they should be organised and run.

This club will be an ideal place for you to gain these understandings.

This club will promote environmental literacy as well as raise the quality of your total educational experience.

By promoting the study of and actions on issues that really interest you.

This club will increase your participation in all areas of learning.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES Education: Prepare an environmental literacy campaign: get

posters put up on bulletin boards. Prepare dramatic presentations on issues. Prepare and run a college environmental quiz, with prizes for

winners. Maintain an Environmental Notice Board with interesting news

on the environment and set up Environmental Corners in the library.

Arrange for interesting people to speak on a topic or issue.