12.1 Flashcards
What is a ‘Carbon Footprint’?
A measure of the impact that human activities have on the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in terms of kg of carbon dioxide per year
What is ‘Primary footprint’?
A measure of how much carbon dioxide is emitted directly by energy consumption. Includes the impact your demands for heating, lighting and transportation have on your overall footprint
What is ‘Secondary footprint’?
A measure of the indirect carbon dioxide emissions that we are responsible for when we buy products, including their manufacture, distribution and eventual breakdown
What is ‘climate change’?
Refers to changes that have been observed since the early 1900s
6 ways to reduce size of a household’s carbon footprint
- Signing up to a green energy supplier
- Turn off appliances when not in use
- Carpool
- Reduce meat consumption
- Buy organic produce
- Recycle
What are the main greenhouse gases?
Carbon dioxide - burning fossil fuels
Methane - mainly agriculture
Nitrous oxide - more potent but emitted in smaller quantities (industrial processes and farming)
What is carbon offsetting?
Compensating for emissions by making an equivalent greenhouse gas saving
What is included as part of carbon offsetting?
Energy efficiency projects
Renewable energy schemes (wind farms)
Tree planting schemes
What carbon offsetting ideas have immediate benefits?
Energy efficiency projects
Renewable energy schemes
Why is tree planting not as immediate?
Take many years for the benefits to be felt and it is difficult to measure how much carbon is actually saved
What are the 4 alternative energy methods?
Nuclear power stations
Solar panels
Wind power
Hydroelectric
