Carbon footprint: Important things you should know
Do you care about our planet but love to travel as well? Then, it’s time to figure out how you can compensate your CO2 emission.
What is meant by carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is the total amount of emission of greenhouse gas emitted by anything, a person, an organization, or even by any product. Green house gases refer to any gases that are in our atmosphere, supporting the global “green house effect”, global warming and climate change.
Carbon footprint is the parameter to measure the atmospheric impact of our all lifestyle. For a better understanding let’s have a look at an example from daily life. When you drive a car to go to work every day, you have a bigger carbon footprint as somebody who chooses to use public transportation only.
Carbon footprint emission sources
The emission of CO2 is from both natural and human resources. Under the umbrella of natural resources, decomposition, respiration, and ocean release comes. As far as human resources are concerned, the CO2 comes from different aspects, such as burning of fuel and fossils like oil, coal and natural gas as well as large scale deforestation e.g. in the Amazonas.
Greenhouse Gases
CO2 emitted by humans includes 87% emission from burning of fossil fuels.
9% comes from clearing forests and lands,
whereas 4% CO2 emission is due to industrial manufacturing process.
Fossil Fuels
There are three main types of fossil fuels that are used: coal, oil and natural gas. Coal is responsible for 43% of CO2 emission from fuel combustion. For every ton of coal burn emits approximately 2.5 tons of CO2, whereas oil us responsible of 36% production and natural gas contributes emission of 20%.
Transportation
Transportation sector ranks as 2nd largest source of anthropogenic carbon print production.
In 2010 transportation of goods and people around the world is responsible for the production of almost 22% CO2.
The aviation sector is a major aspect.
What’s our responsibility?
We all might be already aware of the fact that the ongoing climate change will have fatal consequences for everybody living on the planet.
According to the report of the United Nations we have less than two decades left to reduce global carbon emissions massively to avoid disastrous consequences on earth.
Unfortunately, many people have not understood yet how important a change is.
To express it in travelling: If the world will not be able to manage emission reduction very soon, many countries will be lost to tourism. This includes especially many islands and costal areas.
Of course, global leaders and politicians must act to force changes on a high level. At the same time everybody of us, every single person, should also adapt and change, should reduce his own CO2 footprint. There are thousand of little things you can do to lower your carbon footprint.
It is about your behavior as a consumer, your eating habbits as well as your travel perferences.
Actually, our all carbon footprint is very high due to travelling. Especially, when you love flying all around the world. Or if you love to fly very often, even short distance flights etc. Rent a car is less environmental friendly than using public transportation. It all adds up and creates your individual carbon footprint on this planet.
Alternative & Solution
One solution might be, not to travel at all or travel green and go for sustainable tourism. On the other hand you can also think about carbon offset, a compensation for all the CO2 emissions that your lifestyle causes.
Planting a tree is a very good solution. Although, the most sustainable solution is to avoid CO2 emissions at all. Nevertheless, nowadays it is still a bit tricky or expensive to act green all the time. Therefore it’s a very good way to compensate your current carbon footprint. Doing something is still better than doing nothing!
So, what about the idea of planting a tree? Or let plant a tree. This might be easier for you. It is our all responsibility to take care of our planet. To plant a tree is a little action to help the planet. Please remember: When you start your travel plan here on travel & Tree, we plant a tree for every booking. It’s free.
The more people interact the better!
How to compensate for you carbon footprint?
There are many options how to reduce CO2 emissions and how to compensate your carbon footprint. Both are important, to avoid CO2 emissions and plant new trees.
You can take advantage of our offer that we plant a tree for free while you go travelling.
Are you interested finding out more?