Students from around the world calculated their class mean and standard deviations for their footprints and posted them on our world map.
Do you see differences across the globe? If so, why do you think those differences exist?
Did you use the calculator to try to reduce your footprint down to the average from a citizen of another country? What changes would you have to make to lower your footprint in this way? Are you going to try and take some of these actions in your daily life?
Student Footprints >
Science and the Environment
After taking the carbon footprint test I was able to further analyze the negative impacts us humans including myself hold on the environment. Though my total carbon footprint number was only about 400 kgs more than my regions average, my carbon kgs for transportation were more than double my regions average. This made me realize truly the drastic emissions of carbon my transportation methods bring yearly to our atmosphere. Some ways I could minimize my transportation carbon emissions is walking or biking when I can, take public transportation more frequently, and carpooling. My food and purchases averages were reflected as more normal for my region, however, my Home carbon, surprisingly, was well below my region's average. I think this is the case since we use solar panels as our main energy source, which is highly renewable. Additionally, when we can we make sure to turn off all powered things, such as appliances, lights, and air conditioning/heating when we leave the house or are asleep. Overall, us humans are the most significant cause of these harsh climate change affects and are small habits that may seem insignificant are increasingly destroying our globe. A video that encompasses this idea thoroughly and accurately is one that we watched in my science class, "His Epic Message Will Make You Want to Save the World" by National Geographic on Youtube.