"Global
warming" and "carbon footprint" are a buzz word now. Its
importance and the consequential long term devastating effects of "Climate
Change" on the environment, habitat and even the existence of our mother
Earth are widely discussed. This warming of atmospheric temperature is
attributed to the emission of Green House Gases (GHG)Carbon Dioxide, Methane,
Nitrous Oxide and Fluorocarbons are the major contributors.
The
recent years have witnessed exponential increase in the emission of Green House
Gases (GHG) raising the atmospheric temperature. It is reported that there is
about 6 % rise only in the year 2010 (releasing about 500 mn MT) majority of
which is attributed to the top three pollutants of the world - China, the USA and India.
The
Green House Gas emission is caused by the production and consumption of fuels,
manufactured goods, materials, wood, roads, and services. For simplicity of
reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or
its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted. Just as walking on the sand leaves a
footprint, burning fuel leaves carbon dioxide in the air, which is called a "Carbon
Footprint". Thus the carbon footprint basically relates to the amount of carbon released
into the air based on the fuel consumption.
The
Carbon Footprint is assessed in 2 layers;
1. Primary footprint - monitors
carbon emission directly through energy consumption - burning fossil fuels for
electricity, heating and transportation, etc.
2. Secondary footprint- relates to
indirect carbon emissions (Life cycle of products and Sustainability).
Thus,
the most effective way to decrease a carbon footprint is to either decrease the
amount of energy needed for production or to decrease the dependence on carbon
emitting fuels.
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The author is
associated with Technical Service, Atul Ltd (Colors Division), Atul Gujarat, India.
