Eco-Lingo: Ecological Footprint
Eco-lingo is being tossed around left and right these days. We're demystifying common terms to help you figure out which words are the real deal... and which are just green jargon.
Today's word: Ecological footprint
The Properties of Greenhouse Gases
Definition: We only have one Earth, right? Well, if we keep our ecological footprint the way it is, we're going to need a few more Earths to sustain the amount of resources we go through each day. Our ecological footprint measures how much energy, land, paper, food and sea area the population requires and compares it to the planet's capacity to regenerate. At last official count, it takes the Earth about a year and five months to catch up with the amount of resources we use in a year. Whew!
While the official ecological footprint for humanity is measured every year, you can measure your personal ecological footprint by checking out the Global Footprint Network's Footprint for You.
It's a quick, fun exercise with a jarring outcome: you'll find out how many Earths would be necessary if everyone lived their life like yours. If nothing else, it's a great reminder to eat locally, travel sparingly and waste much less.
(Source: http://www.shelterpop.com/2010/04/28/eco-lingo-ecological-footprint)
Global Warming Quiz
Global warming is a complex issue that involves many different environmental factors. Think you know the ins and outs of global climate change? Take this quiz and find out.
1. True or False? Global warming is caused only by natural factors.
2. Which country currently emits the most greenhouse gas?
3. Which planet's poisonous atmosphere has been described as the product of a "runaway greenhouse effect?
4. Which of the following light bulb types uses the least energy, and therefore results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions?
5. How many human deaths per year does the World Health Organization attribute to climate change?
6. How long does it take for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to disperse?
7. Which Arctic Animal do many scientists consider most vulnerable to extinction due to global warming?
8. True or False? Global warming is accelerated by the reduction of global snow and ice cover.
9. True or False? A rise in global temperature is expected to increase instance of malaria.
10. During what time of day does air travel have the most damaging effect on the environment?
11. Hybrid cards get better gas mileage than cars with standard engines. -Always, Sometimes, Never.
12. Which of the following industries could be negatively affected by global warming? Insurance, Commercial Fishing, wine making, all of the above.
ANSWERS ARE IN THE QUIZ ON THE WEBSITE
(Source: HTTP://ENVIRONMENT.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/ENVIRONMENT/GLOBAL-WARMING/QUIZ-GLOBAL-WARMING/)
What are Greenhouse Gases?
Many greenhouse gases occur naturally, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Others such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) result exclusively from human industrial processes.
Human Activities and Greenhouse Gases
Human activities also add significantly to the level of naturally occurring greenhouse gases:
- Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere by the burning of solid waste, wood and wood products, and fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal)
- Nitrous oxide emissions occur during various agricultural and industrial processes, and when solid waste or fossil fuels are burned.
- Methane is emitted when organic waste decomposes, whether in landfills or in connection with livestock farming. Methane emissions also occur during the production and transport of fossil fuels.
The Properties of Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse gases vary in their ability to absorb and hold heat in the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as the "greenhouse effect." HFCs and PFCs are the most heat-absorbent, but there are also wide differences between naturally occurring gases. For example, nitrous oxide absorbs 270 times more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide, and methane absorbs 21 times more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide.
(Source: http://environment.about.com/od/faqglobalwarming/f/greengases.htm)
World Dairy Industry Equals 4 Percent of Man-Made Greenhouse Gas Emissions
That's more than global aviation...
We've detailed the impact that your diet has on the environment and on your personal carbon footprint dozens of times, with the message being pretty clear: Eating less meat (good) or eating a vegetarian or vegan diet (better) is one of the easiest and most powerful things you can do to reduce your ecological impact. Well, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization has just released a report breaking down how much the world dairy industry contributes to global warming. The headline gives it away, but this is why...
Depending on who's calculating it, and what emissions are considered to be part of it, raising livestock for both meat and dairy is somewhere between 18% (the UN) and 51% (Worldwatch Institute) of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
Either way, that's a really big chunk of the total. On the personal level a vegetarian has about one ton lower emissions from their diet per year than a meat eater and a vegan has even lower emissions. That's because of the omission of dairy and eggs from the diet.
The report says the dairy sector as a whole was responsible for just under 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2007, with global milk production, processing and transportation accounting for 2.7% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
Globally, the report says, the average greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of milk and "related milk products" is 2.4kg of CO2 equivalent.
(Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/dairy-industry-greenhousegas-emissions.html)