Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
| Introduction This report examines basic recycling by individual families and the effect it can have on their carbon footprint. The purpose of this report is to provide American households with the necessary information needed to make an informed decision regarding basic recycling. This report covers what is considered basic recycling and how much of a difference each type of product that is recycled can reduce the carbon footprint of the average American household. Recommended plans for basic recycling are given for consideration in planning a household recycling program. Climate Change and Greenhouse gases According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), rising levels of Greenhouse gases (GHG) are slowly changing the climate of the world. These gases do come from several different sources, and one of the main sources is municipal solid waste. This leads to the question of what can be done to reduce these Greenhouse gases. With regards to municipal solid waste, better known as trash, recycling can greatly reduce the amount of gases that are released into the atmosphere (“Climate Change and Waste”). Greenhouse gases consist of several different gases and are not just a result of human activity. Some of them occur naturally and include water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. Greenhouse gases absorb heat from the sun and retain this heat, which causes the atmosphere to be warm. When human activities increases these gas levels to higher than normal, the result is that more heat is retained in the atmosphere. In turn, the temperature in the atmosphere increases and causes the climate to change. Methane is one of the primary gases emitted during the decomposition of municipal solid waste. As more trash is created, more methane is released into the atmosphere. The EPA says that “methane traps over 21 times more heat than carbon dioxide (“Climate Change and Waste”).” Some landfills burn the methane gas as it is release by the decomposing waste. Some have an open flame while others burn it in generators to create electricity. However, increased amounts of methane hold more heat which causes the temperature in the atmosphere to increase. Effects of climate change All life, human and otherwise, depends on our environment and our climate for survival. If our climate were to change, it could throw off the balance of the life cycle on earth as we know it. All life is dependent on each other for survival. For example, if there was a prolonged severe drought, all human and animal life could be threatened. According to the EPA, if the average temperature on earth increased by only a few degrees, it “could result in:
Carbon Footprint According to the UK Carbon Trust, a carbon footprint is the total amount of Greenhouse gases (GHG) that are emitted as a direct result or indirect result of an individual, company, or other entity (“What is a carbon footprint”). Therefore, a household carbon footprint is the summation of all Greenhouse gases that are released into the environment because of the actions of that given household. Almost everything that we do has an impact on our carbon footprint. All of the energy we use, all of the products that we buy, and all of the trash that we throw away, increases our carbon footprint. Basic recycling Almost everything can be recycled. Everything from electronics to newspapers, and from plastic to yard clippings, can be recycled to reduce a household carbon footprint. However, this report focuses on basic household recycling. Basic household recycling includes:
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