No matter what you believe about the causes of global climate change, it’s a fact of life on earth. The climate trends of the past hundred years may be the result of natural phenomena or entirely caused by human activities. Both factors are probably contributing, and we can’t know for certain in what proportions. But some things are clear:
- Global climate change affects all living things.
- Weather patterns of all kinds are becoming more severe.
- Human activities contribute to global climate change.
- We can’t affect the long-term processes of nature.
- We can learn more about the effects of our daily decisions.
- We can make decisions that reduce our carbon footprints.
The term is used in slightly different ways, depending on the context. Here’s a definition that works in most situations: Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere as a result of the direct and indirect consumer choices you make. Some causes, such as driving a car with poor gas mileage, are obvious; others, like buying produce out of season that must be imported from far away, can be harder to recognize.
Consumption Affects Emissions
Carbon dioxide is a by-product of combustion, which means human civilization has created carbon dioxide emissions since the first people learned to use fire for heat and cooking. It also means that countries with relatively low levels of industrial development can also contribute high levels of carbon dioxide emissions. In some parts of less-developed countries, the air has a blue tint from coal burned by hundreds and thousands of individual households.
Greater mechanization, however, creates even more carbon dioxide emissions. The fuel used for manufacturing, transportation, and electric power for modern conveniences results in higher amounts of carbon dioxide generated per person. As more people around the
world gain access to cars, air conditioners, refrigerators, and other machines that consume fuel directly or indirectly, the global production of carbon dioxide will continue to rise.
The parallels with population growth are striking. Countries that developed industrial economies sooner also saw improvements in quality of life, including health care. Death rates fell sharply; then, within a few decades, birth rates fell also. The driving force was
technology, which means these countries are now the best positioned to reduce carbon emissions.
The reasoning is simple: countries that are focused on economic development give less attention to the undesirable effects of growth. A country with a growing economy and consumer culture may well ignore the downside of industrialization. Western countries did exactly that in the twentieth century. The good news is that anyone, in any country, can help reduce carbon emissions, and the benefits reach around the world.
Global Causes, Global Effects
The atmosphere does not stay in one place or belong to anyone. It covers the globe. What affects the atmosphere in one part of the world reaches all others. So reducing carbon dioxide emissions anywhere on Earth will help everywhere else. But as with any distributed problem, no single change in human activity will make all the difference needed.
Some people call this a “non-point-source” situation. In other words, millions of individual actions, taken without any intent to cause harm, contribute to a recognizable result. That also means millions of conscious, deliberate actions are required to offset the others. This is the most encouraging thing about the situation: every one of us can make a difference.
Past, Present, and Future
We can compare the current composition of the atmosphere with the way it used to be hundreds or thousands of years ago. By taking core samples from ice at the poles, scientists can measure the levels of carbon dioxide and other compounds accurately for different periods in history. This information helps us understand how much the climate is changing, and how quickly.
According to these measurements, current levels of carbon dioxide emissions are 40 percent higher than they were before the development of mass production and machine-powered transportation in the 1800s. While that’s a significant increase, some of it might
be natural and cyclical. But viewed over a longer term, the carbon dioxide levels we have now are the highest they have been in more than half a million years. Because the effects we’re seeing today are negative, we have an obligation to reduce our part of this change.
Decisions, Not Sacrifices
When you’re accustomed to consumption, any reduction can feel like deprivation. That makes any change uncomfortable. It’s even harder to give up something you enjoy for some concept of greater good that may never touch your life. But many environmental improvements also bring immediate benefits—things that make your life noticeably better.
Consider the examples here a starting point. Adopt the ones that are easiest for you, and think about other ways to accomplish the same goals. At home:
- Maximize your insulation and weather stripping.
- Switch from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents.
- Install a programmable thermostat and reduce the temperature when possible.
- Use a consumption meter to identify inefficient or unnecessary appliances.
- Replace water-wasting fixtures with low-flow models.
- Use lighting for work and safety only. Wherever you can, install motion-sensor switches.
- Shut your computer all the way down when you won’t be using it for an hour or more.
- Print fewer documents, and print two pages to a side, use both sides of the paper, or both.
- Take a bus or train to work, ride a bike, or telecommute if that’s an option.
- Make sure your car is tuned up and maintained on a regular schedule.
- Keep your tires inflated to the recommended pressures; this improves safety, too.
- Adjust your driving habits to follow speed limits and maintain steady road speeds.
- Avoid unnecessary car trips, and combine errands as you can.
- For shorter distances, consider walking or riding a bike.
All the suggestions above require you to choose and act, changing ways you might still be doing things. There’s also one thing you can do by asking someone else to change habits, and everyone involved will be pleased to accommodate you.
According to 41pounds, a non-profit organization, the average American receives 41 pounds of unwanted commercial mail (“junk mail”) every year. They claim that the energy used to produce, deliver, and dispose of all that junk mail produces more greenhouse gas
emissions than 2.8 million cars would create in the same time. For a fee, the group offers to have your name removed from as many mailing lists as possible, and will donate part of the fee to Carbonfund, another group dedicated to reducing carbon emissions.
You’ll be spared the nuisance of discarding offers you don’t want, your letter carrier and recycling collector will have less material to handle, and the marketers themselves will be grateful not to spend money on advertising that is unlikely ever to result in a sale. Everyone wins.
