WHATS A CARBON FOOTPRINT FULL
WHATS A CARBON FOOTPRINT ISO

Gases emitted as a result of burning fuels, cattle farming, use of artificial fertilisers, and burning forests do not only deteriorate the quality of the air we breathe. Environmentalists argue, however, that carbon footprint is an important tool for monitoring and planning the strategy on a local and global scale.

WHATS A CARBON FOOTPRINT FULL

Greenhouse gas emissions are only a part of destructive human activity, which of course does not give the full picture of responsibility and blame.

There are many factors that have a negative influence on the natural environment – from pollution of seas and oceans to soil erosion. What is the purpose of calculating carbon footprint? It takes into account, inter alia, energy consumption, level of recycling, diet, and means of transport used by the household members. Households, on the other hand, can use a special online calculator commissioned by the UN. The analysis of carbon footprint in industry is carried out by specialised consulting companies. For commercial products, the calculation includes their full life cycle – from raw material extraction to disposal. For example, assessing the ecological ballast of a single airplane flight takes into account not only the fuel burned, but also emissions related to the production and maintenance of the machine, fuel extraction and refining, as well as the entire airport infrastructure. It is worth realising that calculating a carbon footprint requires a comprehensive approach. It defines the level of emissions for specific products and services. In Poland, the former is used more often.

WHATS A CARBON FOOTPRINT ISO

The two most universal and most widely used are PAS 2050, developed by the British Standards Institute, and the international standard ISO 14067:2013. Some are strictly industry-specific and reflect the character of a given industry branch. There are several methods of calculating the carbon footprint.

The result is presented in the form of the so-called CO 2 equivalent. Usually emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other harmful gases are included in the calculations. It expresses in figures how many kilograms of greenhouse gases are generated by a given entity or activity. Today, carbon footprint is an official ecological concept recognised by international organisations. The oil giant created a special calculator to make the society aware that pollution cannot be blamed solely on industry. The idea was simple – to make individuals aware of the scale of their impact on the natural environment. The concept of a carbon footprint only appeared in 2004 as an outcome of a social campaign of British fuel company BP. The consumption of water, raw materials as well as arable land necessary for food production were also taken into account. The concept was used to define the size of the land required to fulfil the needs of a specific community. There was a discussion as early as the 1990s about the ecological footprint caused by humans and their activity.

Whats a carbon footprint