The measure of the effect of our activities on the environment is called Carbon Footprints, particularly on climate change. It is directly related to the amount of greenhouse gases produced through the burning of fossil fuels which is used for electricity, transportation, heating, etc.
This is basically a measurement of individually produced greenhouse gases and is equivalent to tons of carbon dioxide.
Carbon Footprint is primarily made up of primary footprint and secondary footprint.
Primary Footprint
Primary Footprint is a measure of carbon dioxide which is directly emitted by the burning of fossil fuels. This includes domestic energy consumption and transportation.
Secondary Footprints
This is a measure carbon dioxide which is indirectly emitted from the lifecycle of products which are used.
Carbon emission is the term used to refer to the production of gases that go into the atmosphere and warms it. This is emitted by many greenhouses which is measured by converting them to equal quantity of carbon dioxide needed to produce similar warming effect. They trap the heat sent from the Earth’s surface. Sunlight can directly pass through it. It slowly and steadily increases the Earth’s temperature and drives global warming.
Carbon emission comes from the burning of fossil fuels which are used as a cheap mode of energy. Besides fossils fuels burning, carbon is also emitted from agriculture use such as greenhouses which emits carbon dioxide. About 26 billion tons of carbon dioxide is emitted every year and this figure is ever increasing.
The only way of carbon dioxide reduction is if the world uses less energy, or uses renewable energy, such as wind power. Another solution is to trap the carbon dioxide emission underground, but this needs to be done on a very large scale.
Carbon Footprints is one of the main reasons of global warming.
January 8th, 2010
Tushar Mathur
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