Understanding how we contribute to global warming and what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint

1. Carbon Footprint,
what’s that?
Copyright by Kella Randolph B.S., M. Ed.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Sky_cloudy.JPG

2. What is global climate change?
• Global climate is the average climate over the entire planet. The
reason scientists and many other folks are concerned is that Earth's
global climate is changing. The planet is warming up fast—faster than
at any other time scientists know about from their studies of Earth's
history.
• Source: https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-change-meaning/

3. Is the climate of the
whole Earth really
changing?
• Yes! Earth has been getting warmer—and
fast.
• Global climate is the average climate over
the entire planet. And the reason scientists
and folks like you are concerned is that
Earth's global climate is changing. The
planet is warming up fast—faster than at
any time scientists know about from their
studies of Earth's entire history.
• Source:
https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-
change-meaning/
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Diagram_showing
_ten_indicators_of_global_warming.png/1024px-
Diagram_showing_ten_indicators_of_global_warming.png

4. What is weather?
• Weather is local and temporary.
• On our own Earth, we cannot control weather by turning a thermostat up
to make it warmer or down to make it cooler. The best we can do is try to
predict the weather. Weather scientists, called meteorologists, try to
foresee what's going to happen next.
• Is that big black cloud going to let loose over San Francisco, or wait until it
gets to Sacramento? Will that new storm forming in the Atlantic Ocean
turn into a hurricane? Conditions are just right for tornadoes. Will any
form? And where might they touch the ground and cause trouble?
• Weather happens at a particular time and place. Rain, snow, wind,
hurricanes, tornadoes—these are all weather events.
• Source: https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-change-meaning/

5. Weather vs Climate
http://www.punditcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1-2.png?x10418

6. What is climate?
• "Climate" describes conditions over the long term and over an
entire region.
• Climate is the big picture. It is the big picture of temperatures,
rainfall, wind and other conditions over a larger region and a longer
time than weather. For example, the weather was rainy in Phoenix,
Arizona, last week. But this city usually gets only about 7 inches of
rain each year. So the climate for Arizona is dry. Much of Southern
California also has a dry, desert climate. Brazil has a tropical climate,
because it's warm and rains there a lot.
• Source: https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-change-meaning/

7. Do we care if Earth is
getting warmer?
Yes, we care! After all, Earth is our
spaceship.
It carries us on a 583-million-mile cruise
around the Sun every year. It even has its
own "force field." Earth has a magnetic field
that protects us from killer radiation and
brutal solar wind. For its life-support system,
Earth has all the air, water, and food we
need.
Just like astronauts on a long space voyage,
we need to monitor all our "ship's" vital
functions and keep our Earth "ship shape.“
Source: https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-
change-meaning/
https://inafutureage.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/earth-from-space-western.jpeg

8. Does what we do
matter?
Everything that happens here affects
something over there.
Earth has its own control system. The oceans,
the land, the air, the plants and animals, and
the energy from the Sun all affect each other
to make everything work in harmony.
Nothing changes in one place without
changing something in another place. The
overall effect gives us our global climate.
Source: https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-
change-meaning/
https://live.staticflickr.com/7821/46652972941_bcd6c322f5_b.jpg

9. What is making Earth's
climate warmer?
Scientists have discovered that humans are
causing this warming.
But how do they know that? What are we
doing that could cause the whole planet to
get warmer? And how could warming
happen so fast? What will happen to people
and other living things if the planet keeps
getting warmer? And what can we do to slow
down or stop the warming? Source:
https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-change-
meaning/
https://gailtheactuary.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/fossil-fuel.jpeg

10. Temperature change
As we burn fuels to get power and heat,
those fuels also give off huge amounts of the
carbon that was stored inside them.
https://gailtheactuary.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/ipcc-summary-climate-change-temperature-
exhibit.png

11. Carbon Cycle
The Earth has systems for
everything. Carbon cycles slowly
through several forms.
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f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/12285/width668/6vmhn3p6-1340779188.jpg

12. The future is in our
hands.
Steps we take now will affect the amount of carbon
released into the air. That will affect the warming of
the planet.
The earth has been through many climate changes
in the past. That is natural and unavoidable.
What is not natural is the speed at which climate
change is happening.
Because we are doint these two things, we humans
have caused climate change to speed up. Global
warming is now happening because we:
1. Put too much carbon, methane and other
gases into the air by burning fossil fuels
2. 2. destroyed too much of the natural carbon
holding places (carbon sinks), including vast
areas of the oceans and enormous areas of
timberland.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qVLj_q_pInc/TbGKJzaSwTI/AAAAAAAAAi4/Eom58_zE4iM/s1600/earthday-298x300.jpg

13. How humans have harmed the oceans and the air
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ustrial_chimneys.jpg/275px-Air_pollution_by_industrial_chimneys.jpg

14. Clean it up
The longer we delay using non-polluting
sources of fuel, the dirtier the planet
becomes.
https://fabiusmaximus.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/pollution.jpg

15. Countries have carbon
footprints.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Faustralianmuseum.net.au%2Flearn%2Fteachers%2Flearning%2Fsustainability%2Fgreen
house-gas-a-hot-
topic%2F&psig=AOvVaw1nXkFSeJHCMZ14RjenrVKC&ust=1573521687767000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCPjE6pv_4OUCFQA
AAAAdAAAAABAI
Here is how Australia was doing in 2007.

16. What are the types of
greenhouse gases?
Several major greenhouse gases that result from human
activity are included in U.S. and international estimates of
greenhouse gas emissions:
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Industrial gases:
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)
Other greenhouse gases not counted in U.S. or international
greenhouse gas inventories are water vapor and ozone.
Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, but most
scientists believe that water vapor produced directly by
human activity contributes very little to the amount of water
vapor in the atmosphere. Therefore, the U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA) does not estimate emissions
of water vapor. Source:
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/energy-and-the-
environment/greenhouse-gases.php https://www.google.com/search?q=what+are+the+greenhouse+gasses&rlz=1C1JZAP_enUS762US764&tbm=isch&so
urce=iu&ictx=1&fir=_BPM4aXgXUjJWM%253A%252Ck1-Psx4w2WnatM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-
kRGZURENBVjitl2tuHeqWe2XoYdKg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiupYiZ_-
DlAhUsuVkKHUusA2QQ_h0wE3oECAYQBQ#imgrc=KK2s2syv0v6bJM

17. Other greenhouse gases not counted in U.S. or international greenhouse gas
inventories are water vapor and ozone.
Water vapor
• Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, but most
scientists believe that water vapor produced directly by
human activity contributes very little to the amount of water
vapor in the atmosphere. Therefore, the U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA) does not estimate
emissions of water vapor.
Ozone
• Ozone is technically a greenhouse gas, but ozone is helpful or
harmful depending on where it is found in the earth's
atmosphere. Ozone occurs naturally at higher elevations in
the atmosphere (the stratosphere) where it blocks ultraviolet
(UV) light that is harmful to plant and animal life from
reaching the earth’s surface. The protective benefits of
stratospheric ozone outweigh its contribution to the
greenhouse effect. The United States and countries all
around the world ban and control production and use of
several industrial gases that destroy atmospheric ozone and
create holes in the ozone layer. Learn more about ozone layer
protection. At lower elevations of the atmosphere (the
troposphere), ozone is harmful to human health. Learn more
about ground-level ozone pollution and what is being done to
reduce ozone pollution.
• Last updated: July 11, 2019
• Source: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/energy-and-
the-environment/greenhouse-gases.php
http://www.siamensis.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/webboard_pre
view/bioticpump.jpg

18. Non-renewable energy
supplies 63% of our
power
• Coal
• Natural gas
• Nuclear
• Oil and petroleum products
• Gasoline
• Diesel fuel
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19. Household Carbon Footprint Calculator
• Greenhouse gas emissions vary among individuals depending on a person's location, habits, and
personal choices. For example:
• The quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from your home electricity use depends on the types of
fuel your power plant uses to generate the electricity and the amount you use.
• The quantity of greenhouse gases emitted from your furnace and boiler depends on the efficiency
of these items, the size and insulation of your house, and the amount and type of fuel used.
• The quantity of emissions from your car or truck depends on how much you drive, what your
vehicle's fuel efficiency is, and how you drive (e.g., the amount of time spent idling in traffic).
• In addition, the more recycling you do will reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, as well as
the greenhouse gas emissions that result from processing of raw materials.
• Do you know what your carbon footprint is? Try EPA's Household Carbon Footprint Calculator to
estimate your annual greenhouse gas emissions. Source:
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/household-carbon-footprint-calculator

20. Measure your personal
carbon footprint.
• http://big.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/carbon-footprint.jpg
Copy and paste this link into a search bar
and see how your own carbon footprint
looks.
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/househo
ld-carbon-footprint-calculator
https://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/real-life-hacks-to-
cut-your-carbon-footprint-plus-a-personal-emissions-
calculator-20160314/copy_of_image.jpeg/image
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21. What is your personal carbon footprint? Go to this link to find out.
https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/
About
• Many of our daily activities - such as using
electricity, driving a car, or disposing of waste
- cause greenhouse gas emissions. Together
these emissions make up a household's
carbon footprint.
• The calculator estimates your footprint in
three areas: home energy, transportation and
waste. Everyone's carbon footprint is
different depending on their location, habits,
and personal choices.
• For an explanation of the calculator's
assumptions and sources, see
the Assumptions and References page.
• https://www.epa.gov/climatechange/assumptions-and-references-household-carbon-
footprint-calculator
How To
• You can get a quick, rough estimate of your
carbon footprint by using U.S. average values.
They are provided (along with other useful
information) in the "tool tips" throughout the
calculator.
• For a more accurate estimate, use your own
numbers. Gather your utility bills (electricity,
natural gas, fuel oil, propane) to calculate
your average use over a year. You can find
your car's rated fuel efficiency
at fueleconomy.gov, https://fueleconomy.gov/
• or you can calculate your car's actual
efficiency. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=calcMPG

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