Are you aware of how much your carbon footprint is?
In this era of global boiling, the buzzword is to reduce carbon footprint to counter climate change, hence the many carbon footprint calculators that have rolled out all across the worldwide web. But what is “carbon footprint” and why do we need to calculate it?
Knowing your “carbon footprint”
Carbon footprint refers to the greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon emissions that are produced by our daily activities, like “footprints” that we leave behind. Greenhouse gases trap and prevent heat from escaping to space, causing global warming.
GHG emissions include carbon dioxide, a primary GHG emitted through human activities, which is produced through burning of fossil fuels, solid waste, trees and other biological materials, and other chemical reactions. Methane is also a GHG emitted during production and transportation of coal, natural gases, and oil, as well as in livestock and other agricultural practices, land use, and decay of organic waste in solid waste landfills.
GHG emissions also result from agricultural and industrial activities like nitrous oxide from the use of fertilizers, and fluorinated gases (i.e. hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, etc.) which are synthetic gases produced by a variety of household, commercial, and industrial practices.
Our daily activities such as cooking, driving, commuting, producing waste, eating, and consuming products all contribute to climate change.
“Ako Ang Bukas” household GHG calculator
For individuals, households, businesses, and other entities, knowing one’s carbon footprint tells us our contribution to atmospheric GHG and serves as a guide for climate action that lowers this contribution. For the government, it can identify emission “hotspots” or major GHG-emitting areas that need intervention.
With these in mind, Green Convergence’s “Ako Ang Bukas” (AAB) Advocacy Program introduces their household GHG calculator, as an initiative in achieving the goal of net zero carbon emissions by year 2050.
Activities that generate GHGs are inputted to the calculator—electricity use, transport fuel, and waste generated—and the tool calculates the carbon footprint. One’s carbon footprint will be graphically presented side-by-side to the average carbon footprint count of a Filipino.
A pie chart summarizes the household’s GHG emissions per source allowing one to identify one’s hotspots. The results also show the required number of trees the household should plant to offset its carbon footprint.
The GHG calculator is undoubtedly a vital tool in coming up with effective mitigation strategies to better manage our GHG emissions.
Quantum leap to climate neutrality with AAB
The AAB GHG emissions calculators for both households and for entities have been shared to local government units (LGUs) and various enterprises through trainings.
Among these are Ormoc City LGU, Bataan LGU, First Gen Corporation, First Balfour Suppliers, Cavite Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), Mega Roja Corporation, and Infopro Business Solutions, Inc. The AAB calculators were used to determine Barangay Cogon’s contribution to the GHG emissions of Ormoc City.
“Ako Ang Bukas” (“I am the future”) is a movement with a central campaign, “Quantum Leap NOW: Climate Neutrality 2050.” It seeks to involve all sectors and levels of society nationwide in taking urgent, concerted action to address the climate crisis facing the country and the world.
This will be the Philippines’ contribution to the global effort to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and to keep the rise in earth temperature within the 1.5°C limit set by climate scientists, beyond which climate change and its worst effects are predicted to become irreversible, putting humanity in real danger of extinction.
The AAB household GHG calculator can be accessed through this link: aab-household-ghg-web.app. The entity level calculator is shared upon request through greenconvergencephil@gmail.com.
Be a part of a bigger change. Join the AAB movement through this link: bit.ly/AKOANGBUKAS.
Be a climate-conscious household as we quantum leap to climate neutrality!