Reasons to Understand What is a Carbon Footprint

In its basic form a carbon footprint is the phrase which we use to describe the amount of greenhouse gases which are created as a result of our actions. These greenhouse gases include things like methane and carbon dioxide, which cause damage to the o-zone layer that protects our planet. No learning what is a carbon footprint is important, and this is because of the way in which this understanding will contribute towards our actions in the future. Many of you may not know about this or perhaps are not interested, yet here are just a few reasons why understanding carbon footprints can help us in improving the quality and the general health of our planet.

Where to Buy

Many of you may not think that you have much of an impact on climate change but the reality is that you do, especially in your role as a consumer. You would be right in thinking that big businesses and corporations have a lot to answer for with regards to the impact which they have on the planet, yet it is us who are actively buying from those companies. If we can identify which businesses are pouring out the biggest carbon footprint then we can cease to purchase from them and hit them where it hurts.

Understanding Food Miles

It is absolutely essential that we have a clear understanding of where our food comes from and in order to do that we need to understand how food miles are generated. If you are buying vegetables in the supermarket which have come from Israel then you can guarantee that you are eating food which has racked up a vast amount of food miles. These food miles are important because of the fact that they cause a huge carbon footprint. Many airlines will say that they look to offset carbon with their activities but this is never really the case and more often than not you find that the damage cannot be undone. Understanding the carbon footprint will help you to understand the need to buy local.

Recognizing Your Place Within It

And of course the overall aim of understanding what your carbon footprint is, should be so that you can get a clear idea of what impact you have on the planet and how you can resolve it. When people tell you what to do, how to live and offer greener ways of living, we need to first understand why, what it will do, how it will solve things and ultimately what the reasons are for doing it in the first place. Having an understanding of where our carbon footprint comes from and what our actions can actually do is the first step in making sure that we can live a more responsible and a more sustainable lifestyle which actually helps the planet rather than harms it.

These are the reasons why you should learn about a carbon footprint and how it is formed.