To be more precise, the carbon footprint is the level of total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by a person, organization, event or product.
Everything we do in our daily lives, from turning on a light bulb to driving a car and using products, all this contributes to our individual carbon footprint, which, in turn, contributes to the creation of a collective footprint.
What are the types of carbon footprint?
The individual carbon footprint consists of two parts: primary and secondary.
The primary footprint is an indicator of CO2 emissions produced directly as a result of the activities of an individual or organization. These are carbon dioxide emissions that we directly control and can actively reduce, for example, by monitoring and limiting our use of energy-intensive devices, such as light bulbs and electrical appliances.
The secondary carbon footprint is the indirect CO2 emissions generated throughout the product lifecycle. This includes everything from the extraction of raw materials and production, up to its use and final reuse, processing or disposal. At every stage of its existence, the product contributes to an indirect carbon footprint of this kind.
Why is it so important to reduce our carbon footprint?
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Western world experienced a period of steady industrial growth, which became known as the industrial Revolution. Although it is possible to determine the long-term social, economic and cultural changes that have occurred since this period, one of the most profound consequences is the impact on the environment. Population growth, urbanization, industrialization, and increasing dependence on fossil fuels and, more recently, consumer goods - all of these have contributed to the wider carbon emissions in the world today..
It is now more important than ever to reduce our carbon footprint.
Carbon footprint is a well-known environmental term that refers to human activity and its impact on the level of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere.
How Using Leds Can Reduce The Carbon Footprint
Just start with yourself!
1) Saving electricity: reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Since almost 830 g of carbon is released when consuming 1 kWh of electricity, it follows that carbon emissions can be reduced if electricity consumption is reduced.
2) Replace traditional lamps with LED lighting. LED lamps not only consume a small part of energy, but also have an additional advantage: they last up to 30 years and do not contain mercury. This will help you reduce the secondary footprint, as you will find that you change the light bulb less often. For example, for a municipality that does nothing to reduce its carbon footprint, in addition to replacing 1000 street lights with LEDs, the carbon footprint is reduced by 133 tons per year! If we put this in perspective, this saving of 133 tons is equivalent to a reduction in gasoline consumption by 15,517 gallons per year.
Once you see how easy and painless it is to switch to LED lighting and the impact it can have on your carbon footprint, you will also be looking for new ways to make your lifestyle more sustainable.