Questions tagged [carbon-footprint]
a measure of the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced directly and indirectly by a person, an organisation, an event or a product.
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1answer
56 views
Rule of thumb for estimating the carbon footprint of a manufactured good
I am looking for a simple "methodology" to roughly estimate the carbon footprint associated with buying a new e.g. toaster.
More precisely, I would like to have clues to deal with such a situation:
...
3
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0answers
23 views
WTW versus LCA approach in carbon footprint calculations?
I recently did some carbon footprint calculations for the organization I work for. I used conversion factors I found at the Dutch CO2 emission factors website. This website lists standard emission ...
2
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3answers
101 views
Biomass plants. Why do we use them?
I've recently read they are classified as "clean energy", and some nations do not count the CO2 emissions it produces towards a national CO2 quota/limit. At this point I am a little confused. Won't ...
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1answer
51 views
Is there any case where plant farming is more eco friendly than raising livestock?
I am looking for an example or a case with arguments that would justify converting cattle ranches into plant farms (e.g., wheat, apple, or anything non-meat). The advantages should be in a more ...
5
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2answers
86 views
If everyone had an 'American carbon footprint', how much would the world's temperatures increase?
I'm trying to create a formula that would show:
If every citizen in the world had an average carbon footprint of X.X kg per month, global temperatures could rise by X.X degC by 2050.
I know there ...
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2answers
65 views
Why do people buy carbon credits?
I have been reading about carbon offsetting and people or companies doing this by buying carbon credits. People give money to people to take care of natural asset (like Earth token and the Natural ...
3
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1answer
43 views
What's the carbon footprint of watching IPTV?
There are some topics discussing the carbon footprint of an email:
What’s the carbon footprint of an email?
https://twosidesna.org/US/The-Carbon-Footprint-of-Email-is-quite-large/
However, I found ...
2
votes
2answers
69 views
Emissions offsets versus avoidance: can they be compared?
I'm going to be traveling from London to Toulouse next year. I could take a flight for around £100, or a train journey for £170. The emissions for the flight would be about 500kg, which would cost ...
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1answer
59 views
Approximate CO2 emissions for shipping a parcel from one location to another
First of all, I know it is impossible to answer this question accurately. But that is not the point. An approximation will suffice.
For a project I need to display the CO2 "cost" for shipping a ...
4
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0answers
105 views
How bad are incense sticks for environment?
Belonging to a country where incense sticks are used extensively, I wonder how bad are they, althought it is said they are good for air. But at moment, it seems highly misleading to me.
2
votes
1answer
74 views
CO2 track of staying in huts which are supplied by helicopter
How much CO2 do we produce by sleeping on average in a hut (including breakfast and dinner)in high-altitude > 3000 m)? Let's assume that the hut offers 50 beds and that a helicopter has to supply the ...
2
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2answers
74 views
Is there a website that lists the environmental impact and/or carbon footprint of many products and practices?
Perhaps a Q&A website like Sustainable Living?
2
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1answer
34 views
What information is lost when converting other air pollution into CO2e?
I'm struggling to explain the most important aspects of air pollution in a concise way. I understand CO2 is the biggest issue and long-term driver of global warming, but beyond that I'm lost. News ...
3
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2answers
37 views
Should the CO2 footprint of employment factor into purchasing decisions of consumer goods?
If my employer pays me £80 per day, and I can estimate the CO2 footprint of doing my job, compared not working, is around 15Kg CO2e. So my earnings have a footprint equivalent to 180g CO2e per £. (...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
To what extent do CO2 emissions from motor vehicles vary?
Do the CO2 emissions from petrol / gas vehicles vary depending on driving style? Are emissions a function of the engine type or the fuel efficiency?
If a motor car is rated at 105 g/km, but it is ...
2
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2answers
114 views
Embodied carbon in limecrete vs concrete
I'm planning an extension to my home and one of the many decisions is whether to go for a standard concrete slab over hardcore, or limecrete over blown glass with concrete strip foundations (e.g. ...
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1answer
67 views
What is the average CO2 emission for a human while debating?
I am looking to calculate the CO2 emission of an average male human while arguing/debating.
It is my understanding that the amount of CO2 emitted will be based on the respiratory rate of any given ...
2
votes
1answer
71 views
Discretionary Carbon Footprint vs. Per-capita footprint
Are there any published academic studies which compare per-capita carbon footprint against discretionary carbon footprint (ie. lifestyle-connected emissions)?
per-capita footprint is the result of ...
4
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1answer
50 views
Which climate change mitigations take longer than 12 years to see a net benefit?
The recent IPCC SR15 Report has garnered a lot of press coverage because it warns that we must dramatically reduce CO2 emissions by the year 2030, less than 12 years away.
Global net anthropogenic ...
3
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1answer
82 views
What is the energy and greenhouse gas footprint of Skysource/Skywater water generator?
The Water Abundance X-Prize was recently awarded to the Skysource/Skywater alliance for:
... developing an easily deployable high-volume water generator that can be used in any climate, meeting the ...
5
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1answer
184 views
Solar cell phone charger a sustainable choice?
So I bought this handy and mobile solar charger for my cell phone. I wonder if it's a sustainable buy and looking for a report or similar that compares the production cost(carbon dioxide and resources)...
2
votes
2answers
134 views
Life-cycle assessment of software products?
I'm a software engineer, and lately I've been thinking whether it's possible to delineate the environmental impact of a software product - say a web service, a website, an app for your phone, etc.
It ...
4
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2answers
474 views
Carbon footprint of soy milk versus cow's milk
I am wondering about a specific carbon footprint comparison (i.e. total global warming potential per litre) between soy milk and cow's milk.
This would of course depend on where and how they are ...
4
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1answer
70 views
How much increase in GHG emissions is caused by Amazon Prime?
From Wikipedia:
Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service offered by Amazon that gives users access to free two-day delivery (one-day in some areas) [...] and other benefits for a monthly or ...
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0answers
23 views
Use Ebooks or normal books? [duplicate]
Ebooks and normal paper books both contribute to environmental damage in some way.
I want to know, which of those two contributes to less environmental damage, on average?
7
votes
1answer
71 views
What should I do with coal that I have been given?
My wife and I recently moved from London to a lovely old cottage in the countryside with electricity, no gas and a wood-burning stove. We are incrementally improving insulation to make the house more ...
6
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3answers
112 views
How to compensate past CO₂ emissions
How would I compensate 250 tons of CO₂ emissions that I've created in my life? Is there a sustainable way?
I know trees can absorb a lot of CO₂, but once they die, the absorbed CO₂ is back in the ...
4
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1answer
212 views
How much, if any, does resolution effect the net power consumption of watching online video?
I watch a lot of online video. I'd assume that for example videos on Youtube in 720p use less power than the same videos in 1080p. I think this might be because:
more power is used by sending network ...
3
votes
1answer
913 views
Which has a smaller footprint — canned or frozen vegetables?
When fresh vegetables aren't an option, many sources indicate that frozen vegetables are generally better than canned (see here, here, and here, for example).
However, how do the environmental ...
7
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3answers
621 views
What's the carbon environmental footprint of good old cash?
It's known that bitcoin has a high carbon footprint [1].
Some have started to compare the environmental footprint of a bitcoin transaction and a standard visa transaction [2].
What is the carbon ...
8
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5answers
216 views
How can I make my family understand my CO2-emissions-related hesitation to fly in order to spend time with them?
I live in another country, approximately 2000 miles away from my family. Now, my parents have really hard time understanding the kind of personal sacrifices which are necessary to keep the world a ...
5
votes
1answer
211 views
Is heating with candles economically and/or ecologically worthwhile?
Considering my home doesn't have a heating system nor chimneys, I wonder if it's worthwhile to heat using only candles. There are multiple dimensions to consider:
Does it cost less than electric ...
4
votes
1answer
276 views
Carbon footprint of CNG vs. Diesel as a vehicle fuel
What is the benefit, in terms of carbon footprint, of replacing a diesel fueled vehicle with an identical one with a CNG engine?
I'm not convinced I can simply take the carbon intensities of these ...
5
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2answers
2k views
What are the carbon emissions from the manufacture of the hybrid components of a Prius?
For simplicity, I will assume that the manufacture of a Prius is essentially the same process as that of a non-hybrid ICE, plus the extra environmental impact required for the hybrid components (...
4
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3answers
3k views
What type of cheese has the lowest carbon footprint?
An answer to a question about the carbon footprint of cheese inspired this question.
According to Wikipedia, cheese can be made from the milk of several animals:
cows
goats
sheep
buffalo
reindeer
...
21
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4answers
4k views
Why does cheese have such a high carbon footprint?
(Source of information here)
As you can see, cheese has the third highest carbon footprint. Only beef and lamb have a higher footprint.
Several other sources (such as this) corroborate this.
Why is ...
6
votes
2answers
203 views
How much could the US reduce its electricity demand if people moved from Texas back to Ohio?
I have a theory that I am trying to develop empirical support for. I believe that the migration of people from the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt has caused an increase in overall electricity usage and ...
3
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1answer
99 views
Should we leave all fossil fuels in the ground and not use them?
I get the feeling that there is such a strong backlash against fossil fuels that there is an irrational movement to purge them completely. Maybe because people are transferring their worries about ...
9
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1answer
2k views
How much CO2 do I cause with one Google search?
Is there any data about the CO2 emissions per individual Google search?
Or are there none because Google is moving towards 100% renewable energy supply?
Scope:
Just the search query, no lifetime ...
5
votes
1answer
135 views
Hotel communal living
I want to purchase a hotel and sell rooms that have been renovated into tiny apartments that can accommodate one couple.
Living together will reduce costs for all and the rent can reinvested in green ...
9
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3answers
162 views
What is the environmental cost of encrypting your communications?
I am concerned by people's privacy in the Internet age, and the security that communication software and services offer, which is why I try to promote encryption in different everyday activities (...
8
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2answers
808 views
What is more sustainable, using a mechanical pencil or a pen?
I was considering to use the same device for writing from now on and I was considering two alternatives: a mechanical pencil or some kind of refillable pen.
Which of these two options is more ...
4
votes
1answer
79 views
What is meant by Global-warming Potential (GWP)?
I was under the impression GWP (global-warming potential) is the measure of a gas' impact on global warming, in comparison with CO2.
E.g. methane has a GWP of 86 over 20 years - Wikipedia
Comparing ...
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1answer
102 views
Why is the private car still around in the US: do our elected officials know more than we do? [closed]
Depending on whom you trust, sort of, up to two thirds of all the oil we consume in the U.S. is burned in our engines. If you added the section of the infrastructure that directly supports ...
10
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2answers
302 views
Do Christmas trees have a positive or a negative impact on carbon emissions?
In this era of growing concerns about global warming, the tradition of chopping down millions of trees each year only to discard them a few weeks later, might strike some people as bizarre.
But does ...
5
votes
2answers
97 views
How can one accurately estimate their carbon footprint?
After taking a few different "tests," I have realized that results may vary quite significantly.
Is there an online, comprehensive carbon footprint "test" that is both precise and accurate?
5
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1answer
55 views
Sources for the carbon impact of US corn ethanol?
I am struggling to find recent sources on the carbon intensity of corn ethanol. I find many sources from around 2007, but I want something a little more recent (preferably from this decade). This is a ...
13
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1answer
82 views
Co-firing fossil fuels use in waste incineration
I know from shop talk among previous colleagues that waste incinerators often need natural gas to sustain firing. AFAIK this is mostly because mixed household wastes have a high moisture content, ...
14
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6answers
867 views
What life-style decision can I make to reduce my carbon footprint most efficiently?
I'm interested in the sustainability, especially the carbon footprint, of life-style decisions regarding:
transportation (i.e. get an electric car, use bike and public transport)
dietary: going ...
7
votes
1answer
90 views
What is the carbon footprint of energy transfer across power lines?
I've been doing some reading up on the full cycle carbon footprint of energy production and consumption, and realising there's a lot of aspects that are frequently overlooked. One of these I'm ...
