The Concept of Carbon Footprint
The concept of the carbon footprint was derived from the ecological footprint concept, which was proposed by sustainability advocates William E. Rees and Mathis Wackernagel in the 1990s. At first glance, the combination of the terms carbon and footprint might seem abstract, but it refers to the marks left by human activities on nature. The amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere as a result of any activity by individuals, institutions, and countries determines their carbon footprint. Common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Fluorinated gases have no natural sources and are produced solely as a result of human activities. With the Industrial Revolution, carbon emissions began to rise. The increase in the use of fossil fuels, dependence on energy, and the long-distance transportation of products have adversely affected the environment. Technological advancements have developed the production methods used. The amount of energy and raw materials used are being developed to leave a smaller carbon footprint. Today, efforts are being made to reduce adverse effects through international agreements and monitoring of institutions. The aim is to raise public awareness and encourage individuals to reduce their own carbon footprints. Adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle and practicing controlled consumption can reduce the carbon footprint. Solar panels can be used for heating and hot water. There are direct and indirect reasons that cause the carbon footprint to increase. Direct reasons include carbon dioxide emissions from factors such as domestic energy consumption and transportation. Indirect reasons are the greenhouse gases released during the production and waste-to-product cycle of any product. The material from which a product is made, as well as where and how it is produced, is important in terms of the carbon footprint. Direct causes can be controlled with low carbon emission electrical products, insulation in living spaces, and more efficient dietary choices. The carbon footprint, depending on lifestyle, can be reduced with very small changes. Instead of plastic bags, biodegradable bags or fabric bags can be preferred. Public transportation or bicycles can be used instead of private vehicles for short-distance travel. It is also important to control indirect causes to reduce the carbon footprint. Factors affecting indirect causes include the material, logistics, and production processes of the consumed product. During production, significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved with renewable energy sources. For electricity used in homes, companies that produce electricity from renewable sources can be preferred. Renewable energy sources are becoming more efficient and accessible with advancing technology, and their share in total energy production is increasing. The carbon footprint is gaining more importance due to its impact on global climate change. Carbon dioxide released naturally is balanced by nature, reducing the greenhouse effect. However, the greenhouse gases resulting from direct and indirect causes far exceed the natural balancing capacity. Greenhouse gases accumulate in the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere, forming a layer that traps heat. The trapped heat raises the average temperature, becoming the main cause of global climate change. Increasing temperatures cause the Earth’s ice sheets to melt. The melting of ice sheets raises sea levels. Unpredictable changes in the climate directly affect life on the planet. International agreements, such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Agreement, aim to reduce the carbon footprint. Controlling greenhouse gas emissions will have positive effects on climate change and global warming. Emissions during the production process and the life cycles of products can be monitored through laws enacted by countries. Manufacturers can be encouraged to prefer renewable energy sources. Turkey is one of the countries that have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Agreement. In our country, electricity can be produced from renewable energy either licensed or unlicensed. Renewable energy sources can be naturally obtained and self-renewable. Renewable energy sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat have almost no carbon footprint. Therefore, the carbon footprints resulting from direct and indirect causes will be very low. With the awareness in society, dependence on fossil fuels is decreasing day by day. With trackable production methods, all processes can be monitored, and this information can be accessed by consumers. Companies' reports on reducing their carbon footprints show their current status and future plans. Controlled construction of hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, and biogas plants causes little harm to the ecological balance and has low greenhouse gas emissions in electricity production. Since it does not harm the environment or produce waste, no additional costs are incurred. Therefore, it is delivered to consumers at affordable costs. We can start reducing our carbon footprint immediately. Our home is the best starting point for this. We can use online calculators to measure our carbon footprint. With small changes in habits, significant reductions in the carbon footprint can be achieved. To reduce our carbon footprint, we can focus on the following: prioritize recycling and prefer products made from recycled materials, avoid purchasing unnecessary products and check the carbon footprint reports of the products we buy, check the energy consumption and carbon emissions from the energy certificate when buying electrical products, use water efficiently, reduce the consumption of packaged products to produce less waste, supply electricity from renewable energy sources, prefer locally produced products to reduce greenhouse gases produced in logistics, and protect the ecological balance on Earth by behaving more sensitively towards the environment. Sustainable consumption can create significant differences for the world without making drastic changes in our lives. With the demand created by sustainable consumption, producers can also change their products and production stages to reduce their carbon footprints. Our greatest gift to future generations will be a more livable world.