CARBON FOOTPRINTING

Carbon Foot printing

Carbon Footprint

Perhaps climate change is the greatest challenge for humanity in the XXI century. Current studies indicate that the production of greenhouse gases is the major factor in climate change. The management services greenhouse gases can help identify opportunities for savings in energy consumption and process improvement (Chambers, et al. 2004, . Pp 56-90). Climate change is today a serious threat to the world that needs to be addressed by the businesses, governments and society in order to ensure the sustainability of the planet.

What is carbon footprint?

The carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by the activities in relation to carbon dioxide (CO2) or carbon. All activities caused by humankind from building the homes, using the cars to flying on holiday can be the subject of carbon foot printing (Wackernagel, 2004, pp 90-123). The carbon footprint on food is an estimate of all the emissions caused by the production (e.g. farming), manufacture and delivery to the consumer and disposal of packaging.

Food and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

We are familiar with the idea that using the cars, heating the homes, powering the factories and so on causes GHG emissions. There are much more damaging GHGs than CO2 from fossil fuels, particularly from farming. When these emissions from agricultural soils and animals are added to the CO2 from processing, manufacture, and so on, food accounts for a large proportion of all emissions (Rees and William, 2002, 121-130). Worldwide, agriculture is directly responsible for about 14 per cent of all GHG emissions and these are dominated by nitrous oxide from fertilized soils and methane from farm animals. Land use change, dominated by deforestation for food production, plays an even bigger role at about 17 per cent.

Importance of carbon footprints

The "carbon footprint", perhaps connected with the main environmental concern of citizens, is one indicator that has gained media. In business, the calculation allows the communication of volunteer efforts in environmental responsibility, and promoting eco-efficiency and business benchmarking. The carbon footprint is a tool and differentiator in international markets. Safely compete in these markets requires learning and development of this instrument (Brown, Marilyn, Southworth, and Sarzynski. 2008, pp 12-34).

Carbon footprint measures the total sum of greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas emissions from all sources are summed up and distorted into units of CO2 alike, which is used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions ...