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 >
Carbon Footprint analysis
I go to Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, CA, USA. The average total footprint per student per year at my school is 16,295 kg. Upon seeing this in the world map, I was shocked because my personal footprint for year is around 9788 kg. My Carbon Footprint is very close to the Californian average. I find it strange that the average at my school is so much higher than the Californian average, 9727 kg. The Californian average is still quite a high Carbon footprint, so I think that the average at my school is much too high. The average footprint for transportation alone at O'Dowd, 8191 kg, is much closer to my total than the school average is. I was very surprised to learn that my average footprint is so much lower than that of my school and I think that students at Bishop O'Dowd need to try harder to lower their carbon footprints.
As I am striving to lower my carbon footprint especially within the transportation category I'd like to know specific things you and your family do to have contained such a close carbon footprint to the average Californian. I feel that it would help me develop specific ways in which I can help change my family and my own habits for the better.
Well, the area that my footprint was the lowest was in purchases. My family does not usually purchase new things unless they are completely necessary, although we probably buy too much clothing. We re-use things as much as possible. Another thing we try to do is use little energy in our home. We turn everything off that we are not using and we almost never use a heating or air conditioning system. Those are the categories in which my personal carbon footprint was the lowest, if that helps.
Ghana's 1.3 metric tons per capita is significantly low compared to America's 17.8 metric tons per capita. Ghana has such a low average total of carbon footprint compared to America because Ghana is less developed than America. In Ghana, were everything isn't all fruitful for many, we do not use a lot of individual transportation, home energy, spend a lot on food or clothes as compared to America.