It's my favorite day of the year-December 31rst- when I do my annual carbon output reckoning.
What I count: planes, trains, automobiles and natural gas home heating.
What I do not count: electricity, as not only is Seattle City Light, powered by 93% renewable wind ,bio-as and hydro-power, but I also have ownership in the Seattle Community Solar program, which kicks back a certain percentage of power-and money-every year.
I also have a solar/electric hot water system on my actual house.
I also do not count my food choices (though I should) as I have not figured out a way to accurately calculate my food footprint. So far, all the food footprint calculators either over-estimate my meat consumption, or under-estimate it. I realize I should quit meat, and though I have cut way down, I haven't kicked the habit.
So, for 2017:
Planes: 11,309 lbs.
Trains: 35 lbs.
Automobiles: 156 lbs. (I drive electric cars 100% at home- the gas is from travel car rentals)
Nat Gas: 213 lbs.
Total: 11,678 lbs. ( 5.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide)
This is 25% of what the average American produces which is 20.5 metric tons CO2-equivalent per person. (University of Michigan) (4.7 metric tons of that is from cars alone. (EPA)
If I made made no plane trips in 2017, my carbon output would have been 369 lbs. Wow.
(Until you factor in meat, clothes, water, etc,)
So- while in comparison to 2010 and 2014, 2017 for me sucks as far as output goes, I am still proud of what I have been able to do over the last 10 years.
HOW DEB DOES THE MATH:
Air Travel:
(I forget where I got this formula I will update post when I find it again)
Short haul <727.45 miles 0.64 lbs/mile
Med haul <2575 miles 0.44 lbs/mile
Long haul >2575 miles 0.39lbs/mile
Gasoline:
(www.epa.gov)
1 gallon of gasoline = 19.4 pounds of C02
Natural Gas:
(www.scientificblogging.com)
1 therm= 11.7 pounds of C0
Electricity:
(www.seattle.gov/light/)
1 kWh in Seattle= 0 pounds of CO2
#carbonfootprint#carbonoutput #greenhousegasses #zerowaste #noplastic #zeroemissions #electriccars #airtravel #garbagefootprint #waterfootprint #foodfootprint #noimpact #leavenotrace #climatechange #globalwarning #350Challange
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