It seems that everyone is talking about the need to know their carbon footprint at the minute. Businesses talk about being carbon neutral (although there is a move to standardise this term), and individuals are encouraged to find out their carbon emissions and work to reduce them. But is this is the right way to go about reducing emissions? Does the individual learning their footprint achieve anything?

We know that individual action alone won’t solve the climate crisis. This whole site is full of ways that communities, businesses and governments can make changes and come together to reduce energy consumption and live a more low-impact lifestyle. But – understanding their carbon footprint could mean that choosing eco-friendly options, and sustainable products and services becomes second nature – and ultimately influencing those who make decisions.

Knowing your carbon footprint means you can reduce it

Measuring something means you can change it right? Only by knowing what your footprint is can you work to change it. The Carbon Literacy project makes it their mission to ensure that we are a carbon literate public, that means that people will have

an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis

Carbon Literacy project

Through their project people use a carbon footprint calculator and then actively pledge to reduce their carbon emissions. This means that we are becoming more accountable, psychologically equipped to understand the changes and feel like you are contributing to a wider good.

Is it accurate enough to make a difference?

Carbon footprinting is a work in progress and whilst it is becoming more accurate we know that there will be double counting, (where for example the carbon cost of energy used to manufacture an object is counted twice becuase we also count overall energy use). Is it enough to have a rough idea of our carbon footprint? Perhaps this is better than having no idea at all?

Knowledge is power

Equipping ourselves with knowledge of the carbon cost of your lifestyle will enable better choices, and holding companies and services to account. Companies claiming to, for example, offset carbon are proving more and more to be greenwashing – and we need to be able to talk about this with a knowledegeable public.

Understanding our carbon footprint means that we can properly hold politicians to account. Question their policies, demand action more clearly and make powerful and realistic suggestions.

What about you? Have you counted your carbon footprint? Do you think it is worthwhile? Should we see MP’s carbon footprints? Businesses?