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 >
Products and their Impact
In my opinion, the largest creator of CO2 is the manufacturing of products. With every product made, factories emit large amounts of greenhouse gases. Then the product has to be transported to a local area or directly to the buyer’s house. Buying locally is a great way of lowering CO2 levels. I understand as human beings, we need products to sustain a comfortable and healthy life. However, there are many opportunities to just simply buy less. I understand this can’t be done in an extravagant way because usually, we only buy things we truly want or need. To make subtle changes to the way we purchase goods can make a significant impact. Other ways of preserving energy and CO2 are highly important but the constant cycle of supply and demand is what I believe truly prevents us from achieving a healthier earth.