Our Carbon Footprint

As we learn more about climate change, it’s important to reflect on our own personal impact on the environment. Change will only happen if everyone in this global community holds ourselves accountable to our behaviour and takes responsibility for our actions.

Please use this ecological footprint calculator https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en to find out about your personal impact on the environment.

Here are some important terms:

Carbon footprint: a measure of how much carbon dioxide you create with your daily activities

Earth overshoot day: the day by which we have used up all the natural resources that Earth can renew in 1 year. In other words, after this date, the natural resources we use are no longer renewable by the Earth.

Please answer the following questions in full and detailed sentences. 

  1. What is your personal Earth overshoot day? (1 sentence)
  2. If everyone lived like you, how many Earths would we need? How does your number of Earths compare to the other average number of Earths from different countries? (2 sentences)
  3. What is your carbon footprint (carbon emission) (tonnes/year)? (1 sentence)
  4. The average Canadian creates 14.2 tonnes of CO2 as found in 2019. How does your carbon emission compare? (1 sentence)
  5. What do your personal results make you feel? Are you surprised? Shocked? Inspired? Worried? Why? (4 sentences)
  6. https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/how-canadians-can-cut-carbon-footprints-1.6202194 Canadians are actually one of the top carbon emitters. One of the targets is to have the average personal carbon emission be 2.5 tonnes per person by 2030. Do you think this is an attainable goal (a goal you can reach)? Why or why not? (4 sentences)
  7. https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/talking-to-your-grown-ups-about-carbon-footprints Please describe 6 ways you can change your daily actions to reduce your carbon emission. (6 sentences)

21 thoughts on “Our Carbon Footprint

  1. deja2 says:

    My personal earth overshoot day is March 18th.

    If everyone lived like me then we would need 4.7 earths! I need to start changing my lifestyle because we only have one earth and we’re already ruining it, climate change is so bad right now. Everyone needs to step up their game and help out, we can’t just keep talking about it and not do anything about it.

    My carbon footprint is 13.4 tonnes per year, which means i really need to work and get better at improving on it.

    Looking at my carbon footprint which is 13.4 then looking at the average canadian carbon footprint which is 14.2, i would say i really must work on bringing that down.

    I would say i am a bit worried, pretty shocked and kinda surprised. I really want to start changing how i am using electricity and stuff like that, i want to change how i life and use less things that hurt the earth, plastic and stuff similar.

    If we are one of the top carbon emitters then we really have to take it down by a lot, if we want to help the earth out and not hurt it then we really need to change, we already are doing some help to the earth but we need to be doing more. I think we need to start really working on it, i think we can reach the goal, i think i can reach the goal but this is something we all must do, not just a few people. Why? i believe in people so if we believe in each other then we can all make our earth happy and healthy again. 🙂

    I can start off by using less plastic, paper, less things that will hurt the earth, help others with learning this, not using my phone that much because of the electricity. Going outside more so we can get some fresh air and not stay inside all the time and constantly using our phones.

  2. hana20 says:

    My personal Earth overshoot day is 16. Jun.

    If everyone lives like me, we will need 2.2 Earths. I will be above China, and China will be under me.

    My Carbon footprint is 4.6.

    Well, I am using only like 4.6 while the average Canadians creates 14.2. So that means the difference is that Canadians have 10.4 more than mine.

    I feel inspired because 2.2 Earths is a good number. Also, some countries need more Earths like the USA. USA needs like 5.0 earths and that way more than how much I need. I feel like maybe I should try to make it lower than 2.2 Earths.

    I think that we might be able to make this goal come true. I think that because if we try and not give up on our goal then we can do it. Also, because right now we only need 5.1 Earths. And we need to get to 2.5 Earths. what I mean is from 5.1 to 2.5.

    One reason could be maybe driving less. Another reason can be to use Wi-fi less often. And eat less meat. Try using electric cars more often. Try walking to places more than cars. Walk to school more often.

  3. jessica62 says:

    1. My personal Earth overshoot day is March 4.
    2. If everyone lived like me, we would need 5.7 earths. Compared to the US, I use 0.7 more earth.
    3.I use 14 tonnes of carbon per year.
    4. I actually have 0.2 tonnes less than the predicted average carbon.
    5. I am honesty surprised by the amount of earth I would need. I have always thought that my daily lifestyle is fine. I never really thought that I was effecting the earth in a negative way. I have been taught growing up protect the earth. I hope I can start to do that more. I would like to have a safe future.
    6. I promise I will try. However can’t promise that i can do what they expect. I am very happy with the life I have right now. It will take a long time for me to get used to it. But like I said before. I am willing to change.
    7. I can reduce the meat products I eat. I can also use public transportation more or walk more . I can also try to use less electricity with in my house. I can take more showers instead of bathes. I can learn to recycle more trash.

  4. brandon38 says:

    1. My personal Earth overshoot day is May 11.

    2. If everyone lived like me it would take 2.8 Earths for enough sustainable resources, but compared to the USA’s average of 5 Earths I think I have done quite well. This is mainly because I don’t travel by pl plane, train and other forms of public transportation that often.

    3. My carbon footprint was 5.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

    4.Compared to the average Canadians 14.2 tonnes of CO2 carbon emissions, my 5.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions are relatively small.

    5.My personal results make me quite proud because I use a lot less CO2 emissions than I had thought but ultimately makes me wonder how I could make it even better. It somehow worries me though because if I make 5.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions then that means other people could have even better or much worse scores than me. If everyone lived like me it would take 2.8 Earths for everyone to be able to live a sustainable life, this is quite concerning because we only have one earth and there are no other inhabitable planets in our solar systems now. Overall, I still think my CO2 emissions per year are not horrible but still could be better.

    6. Canadians are one of the top carbon emitters. Although it is true that we should try to lower carbon emissions, going from the average of 14.2 to 2.5 is a bit much, but considering that people want us to reach this goal by 2030, makes it a bit more reasonable. Some people’s whole lives revolve around electricity and eating processed food to survive, although unhealthy it is true. All in all, the goal is quite achievable, and not too difficult, but I still believe that for many people it is unachievable.

    7. One way I change my carbon footprint is by eating more unprocessed foods because eating homegrown fruits and veggies will reduce my carbon footprint a lot. Two, I could walk even more instead of being driven places in my dad’s car. Three I could eat fewer animal-based products because they release lots of methane and C02. Fourth, I could try to reduce the amount of electricity I consume every day because it is creating the largest uncontrolled industrial source of mercury emissions in Canada. emitting large amounts of climate-warming greenhouse gases. harming water quality, biodiversity and species habitats. Fifth I could use more renewable sources instead of burning fossil fuels, like recycling paper instead of throwing it away. Sixth I could use less gas, as fuel and instead walk to places that are close by. Seventh I could carpool more often with my friends, so I don’t burn more fossil fuels myself. Eighth I could use public transportation more often when it becomes more common for me to do so

    This is the end of my statement, again thank you for taking your time to read this

  5. nathan86 says:

    1) My personal overshoot day 18 April . 2)I would need about 3 earths. But to be exact it will be 3.4 earths if every one would live like me .My answer compare to others average numbers from each different countries it would be kind of average example USA -5.0 ,Germany -3.2 it’s pretty much in the middle if I had say.3)My carbon footprint is 8.2 (CO2 emissions in tonnes per year) 4) my carbon compare to average Canadians is a bit more less then the average Canadians .Canadians – 14.2 and me -8.2 a bit more less as you can see.5) It made me realize how little things could do a lot and I was shocked and surprised . It also made me realize that how sorts of things are useful but people think that it’s bad for the earth which is not true . Like transportation it’s does more good to the earth then bad. I Totally was blown out of my mind I should be worried but I’m not just mind blown.6) yes I do think it is attainable to reach that goal if we reduce using basic things .Like gas that goes in of cars or factories we can reach that goal. Not saying we should get rid of cars just find a more better to keep the earth safe like electric cars or Bicycles and walking or running. That’s something that you can use instead cars or buses . To keep earth at it’s top shape .That concludes that if we replace things that we can make a better thing for the earth like like transportation ,shelter and storage. 7) I could walk instead of taking the car. I could use the electric train if long distance. Use less energy that can cause heat like charger and lights . Don’t buy things that are made out mental well not every single thing . Use less electricity and gas . Don’t use that much energy like coal .

  6. shanvi1 says:

    My personal Earth overshoot day is August 23rd.
    If everyone lived like me, we would need 1.6 earths. Mine is lower than Brazil, which is lower than South Africa, which is lower than China, which is lower than Germany, Which is lower than USA.
    My carbon emission is 4 tons per year.
    My carbon emissions are much less than average Canadians. They create about 14.2 tons per year. I only create 4 tons per year. As you can see, Mine is much less.
    My personal results make me feel surprised and shocked. I feel quite surprised, because I was expecting a much worse result. My result is much less than most people in the class. Also, I am shocked that I use this much carbon in my daily life! Earth is gigantic, and if I really got a pretty small amount of “Earths needed”, than I cannot imagine if everyone did start living like some of my classmates.
    One goal is to reduce carbon emissions to just 2.5 tons per year by 2030. I do NOT think this is a possible goal with the way the younger generations are now living and how carbon emissions are rising at rapid rate. Long ago, there used to be fresh resources, and air, that would help people live much longer than 100 (True fact by the way). Now, most people die before their 90s/80s or even their 70s. Most deaths occur because of the way our surroundings have become, because of human activities. Cutting down trees, burning fossil fuels, and our carbon intensive transportation system that relies mostly on personal vehicles are examples of the many activities causing climate change. The way we are living, it is nearly impossible to get Canadians carbon emissions down to just 2.5 tons per person by 2030.
    Much of our electricity and heat is powered by coal, oil and gas. Using less energy by not using heating and cooling, switching to LED light bulbs and energy-efficient electric appliances, washing our laundry with cold water or hanging things to dry instead of using a washing machine or dryer that much will help. Roads are filled with vehicles mostly burning diesel or petrol. Walking or riding a bike instead of driving will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For longer distances, try to carpool whenever possible. Eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and less meat and dairy, can lower our environmental impact. Airplanes burn large amounts of fossil fuels, producing greenhouse gas emissions. Taking fewer flights are one of the fastest ways to reduce our environmental impact. When you throw food away, you’re also wasting the resources and energy that were used to grow, produce, package, and transport it. And when the food rots in a landfill, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. So please, try using or composting the food you buy. If possible, see if you can switch to renewable sources such as wind or solar. Try to install solar panels on your roof to generate energy for your house. Cutting down trees produces the large amount of greenhouse gases stored inside the tree. Not cutting them down is another way of reducing the impact for the environment. There are many more ways to reduce our carbon or greenhouse gas emissions.

  7. damian4 says:

    1. My personal overshoot day is like my Birthday I think it is because when I fell happy and energized.
    2. If everyone on Earth lived like me we would need like 4 Earths so we can survive. Everyone lives differently so it’s very hard to know what it is.
    3. My carbon emission is around the average person so it is 13.6 tonnes.
    4. My result is pretty similar to the average Canadian mentioned in the question. I should try to reduce the carbon dioxide we create.
    5. My results kind of shocked me because the average person was like a 2 or 3. My result was a whooping 4.6 Earths that’s needed. The result also made me proud since I knew others were like a 6 or 7 Earths that is needed. I personally wasn’t that proud or that surprised that I got that score I personally expected to be like a 10-15 Earths that are needed to keep 7 billion people alive. I think I need to improve more on my goals like this one right here.
    6. This goal is possible if we all work together as one otherwise it would cause climate change or global warming. Another reason is if some of us can reach our everyone else can too. The thing is we can reach the goal if we try if we don’t try we on’t achieve the goal. We will achieve this goal together if we work hard on it and don’t do other things. We can also keep track of it.
    7. I can travel less than most people. I can do more exercise so I can reduce carbon dioxide. I can do things like eat less beef because it’s the meat that produces most greenhouse gases.

  8. lawrence7 says:

    My personal Earth overshoot day is March 27.

    If everyone in the world lived like me, then we would need 4.2 earths. If I was going to compare myself with China, China has an amount of 2.1 earths, which is 2.1 earths less than mine. If I was going to compare myself with the US, then the US would have 5 earths and I would have 4.2, which is 0.8 earths difference.

    My carbon footprint would be 10.9 Co2 emissions in tonnes per year.

    The average Canadian produces 14.2 tonnes of CO2 as found in 2019. If I were to compare my Co2 emissions with the Canadian, there would be 3.3 difference.

    I was kind of disappointed about the results, because if I were going to be on the leaderboard of the comparing average-number-of-earths, I would be second place. And second place in this kind of leaderboard isn’t good. If this action isn’t going to stop, it will hurt our wonderful home earth. That is why the Paris Agreement even exists in the first place. I am going to stop and try my best to reduce as many Green House Gas emissions as possible.

    Not only am I trying to stop this horrible crisis, but I also know there are people in the world like me. In fact, Canadians are one of the top carbon emitters, I personally never knew that! Of course, top priority is to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions ASAP, but now, technology isn’t as advanced as when everyone would be able to afford an electric car or a car that uses less fossil fuels. My mom has a Mercedes Benz, and it is an extremely comfortable car, but it still burns fuel and produces Greenhouse gases. I hope in the future, electric cars will be a more common car in the world, and it could be more affordable for us to buy and so we won’t produce Greenhouse gases anymore and global warming will be stabilized. I am confident that I can reach that goal and will never give up hope.

    Ok, let’s actually do something about it instead of saying it, what exactly can I do? Well:

    I can stop driving to far, high, unnecessary places since it will burn more fuel.

    I can recycle plastic waste because it conserves natural resources, reduces pollution, and saves energy.

    I can Reduce water usage since it is a thing we need in our daily lives.

    I can use less electricity and save power.

    I could just buy what I will use and don’t buy the ones I won’t.

    Avoid disposal products since they go to waste really quickly.

  9. monica8 says:

    My personal earth overshoot day is April 8th.

    If everyone lived like me, we would need 3.7 earths. Compared to the other countries, I have less than the USA and more than the rest.

    My carbon footprint is 12.2.

    My carbon emissions are less than the average Canadian.

    My personal results are a little shocking. I thought I would need way more earth to survive. When I think about my daily life, I feel like I am creating a lot of greenhouse gases. It turns out I create less than the average Canadian as well. I am also intrigued, I want to know more about what I do that doesn’t create more greenhouse gases and what does.

    I don’t think it is an attainable goal we can achieve. Although it is very much possible it depends on reality, and everyone supports it. I see that meat is a problem for us Canadians with our carbon footprint. It will be easy to eat less meat, but it doesn’t seem like many will agree. I agree with cutting meat away as there are other food choices and meat is expensive. Not everyone needs to always have a steak every week. Even if the meat gets taken out it doesn’t mean that we can reach our goal. As Canada is quite cold, heaters in houses are staples we all need. Not only do we need fellow Canadians aboard to change our climate, but the governments help as well. For things such as transportation, the government needs to make decisions to buy and install them. Japan or China, have high-speed electric trains that cut many vehicles on highways. Most people will be unhappy to switch lifestyle choices. This requires a great amount of effort and patience to meet this goal.

    There are many ways that someone can reduce their carbon emissions, as a kid, there are simple things. When walking short distances, sometimes I don’t walk when I’m lazy but that affects my carbon footprint. When I’m hungry I often open the fridge first thing. I know that there are most likely no quick snacks inside the fridge. By opening the fridge, I am wasting energy and power. I can learn to look through the pantry instead and find another alternative. As of Covid-19 a lot of restaurants offer take-out as a better option. Using plastics or Styrofoam containers can be harmful to our environment. Reusable containers are a more sustainable way. If the restaurant doesn’t take personal containers, you can bring your own utensils. Not only do reusable items come in containers but also bags. Reusable bags don’t need plastic for packaging, nor do you need to use those 5 cents. I want to go outside more, not watch TV or use my phone using energy, I can find other ways to have fun or occupy myself. Taking shorter showers, nice long hot showers are fun and relaxing, but I waste water when doing so often. Shorter showers provide you with more time to spare for activities that can help you relax or for fun. Even though I am a vegetarian, I still eat cheese. I don’t always have to eat it yet, I can find substitutes for it with the food I have at home. This world I live in is important for me and my future, I want to take part in helping our environment.

  10. vadym1 says:

    My personal Earth overshoot date is the second of May.

    In my opinion, I live a fairly energy efficient life. If everyone were to live like me though, we would need an entire 3 earths! In comparison to other countries, I am just below the USA and Germany, but above China.

    My carbon footprint is approximately 8.6. That means I emit 8.6 tonnes of CO2 gases every year.

    If the average Canadian created 14.2 tonnes of CO2, then I look really good in comparison. I am 5.6 tonnes under average, but this time it’s for a good reason.

    By the results of my test, I am personally shocked as to how much CO2 I emit. I thought I was living a very eco-friendly lifestyle but my test results said otherwise. What worried me even more though, was how I compared to other Canadians. I thought I was emitting a lot of greenhouse gases, but I was barely anything compared to the average. I am very worried for the future of our planet because if we keep going at this rate, everything on the planet (including us) is going to die. It’s that simple.

    Canadians are one of the top carbon emitters, and that’s definitely something. The goal is to reach a carbon emission of 2.5 tonnes for every single person by 2030. In my opinion, this goal isn’t really achievable unless some miracle happens. Let me explain. In 2008, Canada’s Carbon Emissions were at 16.55. 10 years later, they’re at 15.50. In those 10 years, we have lowered our carbon emissions by only 1 tonne. It’s 2021, and it’s going to be 2030 in just 9 years. We still haven’t made any significant changes to our lives that could lower our carbon footprint, so if we’re planning on reaching that goal by 2030, we’d better get to work.

    Finally, here are 6 ways in which I could reduce my carbon footprint. My first method would be to consume only local produce. I could visit Langley Farm Market more often only if they stop charging me so much and make it actually worth it. My second way of being sustainable would be by bringing my own bag to shop. This is important because often, plastic bags are just thrown out and take an especially long time to decompose. If I do end up getting a plastic bag, I could reuse it multiple times before throwing it out. My third method, kind of adding on to my previous point, would be to choose foods without an excessive amount of packaging. For example fruits and vegetables that aren’t wrapped in plastic. The fourth thing I could change about my life in order to become more eco-friendly would most likely be not buying things I don’t need. I have already demonstrated this in my life fairly well by using things until they actually stop working and I need a replacement. Just one look at my phone says it all, although I do feel like I could stop buying every single thing on sale at Dollarama. Finally, my last way of preserving the planet for future generations to come would by by using less electricity. I have a lot of technology such as my desktop, laptop, phone, etc. I could use my laptop when I can because it uses less power and doesn’t need to be always plugged in. I can insulate my room and wear multiple layers during the winter to use less electricity on heating during the winter, and possibly even save some money.

  11. luisa4 says:

    1. My personal Earth overshoot day is April 2nd.

    2. If everyone lived like me, we would need 4 Earths. My average number of Earths is less than the average of the U.S, but more than the average of the other countries listed.

    3. My carbon footprint is 10.5.

    4. My carbon emission is 3.7 less than the average Canadian in 2019.

    5. I am incredibly surprised by my results. I had no idea I emitted that much carbon dioxide. It’s interesting to learn that, and that inspired me to work on producing less carbon dioxide. I will recycle more often, walk instead of taking the car and eat more locally grown foods.

    6. I believe that that goal is reachable. Canadians can work together to achieve this goal by eating less meat, turning off the heater when going outside, and using public transport instead of cars, motorcycles, etc. Public transport in Canada works very well, and there are many bike lanes to bike at, which is very useful. Although it will be difficult work, it will be very worthwhile because we will be helping the environment by keeping it clean and avoiding pollution.

    7. To reduce my carbon dioxide emissions, I can save energy, recycle everything I can, eat less meat and more locally grown foods, walk instead of driving, and use reusable energy, such as solar and wind energy. Saving energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, which is excellent for the environment. Recycling reduces the amount of trash in landfills and waste produced. A lot of meat (especially pork and beef) pollutes landscapes and waterways, so eating less meat helps keep the environment clean. In addition, you reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by taking public transportation or walking. It’s better to walk than drive a vehicle that emits carbon dioxide. Last but not least, switching to reusable energy is great for the environment since it reduces fossil-fuel-based energy. When fossil fuels are burned, they release gases that aren’t very good for the environment into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. These actions will eventually lead to stopping climate change.

  12. jason57 says:

    My personal earth overshoot day is March 14.
    If everyone lived liked me, they will need to have 5 earths. Compared to other countries, I need more earths.
    My carbon footprint is 11.9 per year
    Compared to other Canadians I have a little bit less
    My personal feeling on this topic is nothing but still feel surprised because I did not know if all of the people lived like me they would have had 5 earths. I also really don’t know because I don’t i really don’t know about this topic and even don’t want to learn about this topic.
    I think we can reach the goal because we have lots of time until 2030 and because we can try our best to reach the goal. I think it will be better to not use electricity that much to help us reach the goal.
    I can use less electricity. Use less energy. Use less water. Don`t liter in the streets. Don’t drive to far or drive a lot. don`t make gas.

  13. haadiya1 says:

    My personal overshoot is the 2nd of March.

    If everyone lived like me then you would need 5.9 earths. To me that is a lot of earths and that is why we should really start trying to cut down all of unnecessary green house gas. The USA is very similar because if I lived there it would only be 5 earths, but many other places such as South Africa and Brazil you would have 2 earths or 1.8 earths.

    My carbon footprint is 9.3 and percentage is %51. My ecological footprint is 6.2. 51% is a lot because the more gas we produce the higher our number gets so if I am already not using that much electricity a day I wonder what will happen later in life.

    If the average human has 14.2 tones of CO2 then mine would be a little bit over a half, I feel like the average might have changed because this was in 2019 and the research could be outdated. Because the modernized technology now day I feel like the average carbon footprint would be higher.

    Overall I am felling a little bit shocked and worried, well worried for my future. Personally I did not think that I would affect the earth that much, but I think it is a blessing in disguise because I feel like now that I know what damage I am causing to the earth I will put effort to try and change it. I feel shocked because I was expecting a lot lower score. I am worried for my future because will soon use much more technology and my carbon footprint will go up.

    I doubt that we will be able to get everyone to 2.5 tones. In 2019, the average tons per person was 14.2 Generally as new technology develops more Co2 is emitted so the average tons per person in 2021/2022 has most probably increased. To get everyone down to only 2.5 tones of CO2 is pretty much impossible at the state we are in right now. However I do believe that if everyone does put in effort we may reach 5 tones of CO2 per person by 2040.
    There are many ways that I can change my carbon footprint.
    1. I would write all of my work on paper not on a laptop.
    2. I also could socialize with people instead of on phones or iPad/tablets.
    3. Eat less meat or chicken and try to eat at least only unpackaged local fruits and vegetables for a day per week
    4. Instead of putting on lights I can open the curtains and use the sun as a light.
    5. Use the air fryer more than the oven because even though it uses electricity it uses less to cook the same amount of food.
    6. Encourage other people to walk to school instead of using a car or any other vehicle.

  14. justin94 says:

    My personal earth overshoot day is April 4

    If everyone lived like me, we need 3.8 earths. If i compare my earth to China , the amount of earths i need is above China but if i compare mine to USA, then we need 1.2 more earths which is a lot of earth.

    My carbon footprint is 9.1%( C02 of tones in a year). My elogical footprint is 50%.

    If I compare my carbon emmsions to what an average Canadian, then it is going to be lesser than what an average carbon emmsion a Canadian makes.

    My personal result made me shocked. I was actually surprised of how much carbon footprint i make in a year compare to the avarage Canadians. I think the reason why i make such a low carbon footprint and emmision is because i do not usually use cars or other types of transportation. I usually walk or I bike. I barely travel anywhere especially because of covid-19. Right now, I am pretty happy with my results and just hoping that i will make a good impact to the enviorment and hopefully I can stop global warming.

    It is possible to reach the goal if all of us take initiative and help out. Right now, an average carbon emmision a Canadian makes a year is 14.2 tones of C02. So it is going to take us a long time and also because we are the top carbon emmiter so we really have to work on reaching that goal. It is possible but it will be a hard goal to reach if all of us are still going to do what we are doing right now. Again, it sounds pretty hard but let’s say if each Canadians uses only 50% fo the electricty of what we did before, then we can save electricity because most of electricity comes from factories and factories produces Carbon emmision. If every each of us stop driving cars then we can stop the pollution. But I bet that in 2030, we won’t reach the goal because of our current situation.

    I think that in order for me to stop creating carbon emmisions and carbon footprint, I can start reusing my garbage such as plastic bags, books, or pencils. That’s a good start and the second thing I would do is stop going to places with cars, trains, or buses. That’s the main reason why we are making more and more carbon emmisions and carbon footprint. I usually walk to school or I bike to school because I can excercise also i can walk to school with my friends. THe third thing i would do is start buying groceries at a local market or at a farm. I can start buying products that are fresh new made instead of the ones that that are processed by the factories. The last thing i would do to stop creating carbon emmisions is that i would stop wasting water if it is nit needed. Situations where we don’t water are such as water gun, flower pot, and washing the things that doesnt need to be washed.

  15. andrew48 says:

    My personal earth overshoot day is the 21 of April.
    If everyone lived like me then we would need to have 3.3 earths. Compared to other countries I would need more earths than China and Germany but less than Canada and the US.
    My carbon footprint is 10.1 tonnes per year.
    My carbon emission is 4.1 less than the average Canadian.
    My results made me feel quite surprised since I never knew that I emit that much carbon dioxide. It’s interesting to learn these things and motivates me to learn more about how I can produce less carbon dioxide. But even so I emit less than the average Canadian while living my normal lifestyle. I will try to reduce the amount of green house gases as possible.
    I don’t think this is an achievable goal by 2030 since in 2019 the average Canadian produces 14.2 tonnes of CO2 per year. I don’t believe that it would be possible to achieve this gaol because if we go by the numbers in 2019 then in those 11 years since then we would have to divide that number by roughly 7 to achieve that goal. That would probably mean that many people would have to change their lifestyle in more than one way and then change previous habits like time to leave to go somewhere by public transport instead of using cars more often and possibly the food they eat too they may have to get some from local farmer markets instead. Though however I do believe it is possible to get close to that goal a few years after that maybe if we all put in the effort to try.
    Ways I can reduce my daily carbon emission is by walking more when I can instead of taking other kinds of transport. I can start reusing bags, pencils, and other things instead of tossing them out. I can stop wasting water when not needed such as to play with or to use for water guns when it wastes lots of water. I can buy more fresh food instead of prepackaged ones that have been there for a long time. Instead of turning on the lights and closing the curtains during the day when its sunny I could leave the lights off and instead use the natural sunlight. Lastly I can start recycling more often instead of clumping them together.

  16. mattias12 says:

    My personal Earth overshoot day is April 14. If everyone lived like me we would all need 3.5 earths to support everyone. My carbon emission is about 5.4 tonnes per year, and if you compare that with the average CO² emissions per Canadian which is around 19.4 metric tonnes per year, mine is pretty good. Mine is around 14 tonnes less than the average Canadian emissions. I am actually pretty proud of my CO² emissions. Although I can definitely cut down way more by just doing simple things like walking when I don’t have to. 3 tonnes is a good emission rate (per year) and I want to work my way up to that goal. (or in this case work my way down). This is also worrying because as said previously, “If everyone lived like me we would all need 3.5 earths to support everyone.” That’s not a good thing because in other words, we’re all going to die soon. But on the bright side (if there even is one) if we all try our best to lower our CO² emissions so that we can have a balanced temperature. I think that we could reach the goal. But, every single person in Canada has to help out and do their part. No one can just think that “oh everyone else is doing it so i don’t have to do anything at all.” NO. Every single person has to contribute and try their best to lower the CO² emissions. I get it some people have to take a car or plane to get somewhere, that’s fine. But if you are constantly just driving to places where you could easily just walk to wherever you needed to go to. 6 ways to change my daily actions can include turning off the light when not needed. Walking to places. Saving water ie. taking shorter showers, turning off the tap when brushing teeth. Eating less meat (cows farts give off a lot of methane which is a greenhouse gas). Recycling your garbage and paper in the right spots, this way the proper items can be properly managed. Also using public transport. Sure public transport like busses and skytrains are also giving off CO² you also have to think that if everyone that takes public transit all suddenly started just driving then that would produce more CO² than public transit. (Cause look at it this way, public transit is kind of like carpooling).

  17. april7 says:

    The Greenhouse Effect has always been a problem to the planet we call our home, and many, many people leave a carbon footprint that contributes to this continuous issue. Personally, I am not exempt from this, and I have added to the pollution that Earth endures. According to the Global Footprint Network, my Earth Overshoot Day is February 23rd which if you think about, is not very long. In fact, it is only about 4 months from now. On the topic of this, again, as claimed by the Footprint calculator if everyone lived like me, we would need a total of 6.7 Earths. In contrast, the highest average result that people have gotten in the USA is 5.0, and my result is 1.7 more than that. As for my actual carbon footprint, I emit approximately 18.8 tonnes per a year. Now, this may not seem like much, however, remember that I emit 18.8 tonnes each individual year. Over time, these emissions will eventually add up, and this is just for me alone. Imagine how much carbon dioxide is being released by humanity each year if this was the average amount for everyone. Just to make it a little easier to picture, there are currently about 7.9 billion people on Earth right now. Multiply that number with 18.8. Yeah, it’s a lot, which is why we really need to start changing things. Another example of how much tonnes of CO2 I create is that the average Canadian creates around 14.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide as of 2019, and my result stated that I emit around 4 tonnes more than most Canadians.
    My initial reaction was surprise and shock. Yes, I know that I am apart of the problem, but I didn’t think that I actually contributed to it so much. Afterwards, I couldn’t help but feel worried as I wasn’t really sure how to change my current lifestyle since I’m 1. So comfortable with it, and as a person who despises change, shifting into a different and alien lifestyle would be extremely difficult for me, and 2. My life is hugely impacted by my parents’ lifestyle as I still live with them, and I really prefer not to try to get them to change since it takes a huge amount of convincing, and I dislike sharing any personal feelings/interests/goals etc. Finally, I won’t lie, I did feel pretty helpless as it seemed like trying to genuinely change seemed futile, but I still will not let that stop me from at least trying.
    To be quite honest, I’m very conflicted on this goal, as half of me does feel like this is achievable but the other half believes this to be impossible to change in only a decade. If I had full control over all aspects of my life, I really do think that this objective would be easily completed, but unfortunately, that’s far from the actual case. My parent’s dictate a lot of my lifestyle and similarly to me, they are not really one to change. They have their own beliefs and concerns, many of which oppose mine. Don’t get me wrong, the goal isn’t entirely impossible. In ways, my family does actually help reduce carbon emissions such as turning off lights when they are not in use, turning off water so we don’t waste it, and reusing plastic bags and old clothing, and I’m sure that we most definitely can cut off most of our carbon emissions, but to cut it all the way down to 2.5 tonnes by 2030 seems too ambitious for my family’s way of life. It’s not all hopeless though, there are still many, many ways that I can help decrease the flow of CO2. For example, I know that I am fully capable of walking to school, but it is still very life-threatening and anxiety-inducing for someone my age who is a female and quite weak, so maybe I can work out some sort of system so that I can walk home with someone. I could also bury my carbon footprint by turning off unused lights more frequently so that I don’t carelessly waste electricity. Taking shorter showers is an option as well. Another way to get rid of my pollution is only buying clothing I know I 100% will wear. In addition, I could try to convince my family to shop at farmer markets and thrift shops more often. Finally, I can try to consume less dairy and meat as these are a huge part of our carbon footprint. In conclusion, while it will take a while for this carbon footprint to dissipate, it is not impossible to get rid of it, and we must take action fast in order to save our home.

  18. rebecca24 says:

    My personal over shoot day is 30. Mar this didnt affect me i kind of just shook it off.

    I everyone lived like me we would 4.1 earths, this is not surprised me alot because I thought it would be a higher amount of earths. Some people got a highed number like 9 or 21 i thought i would get something in between like 10 not 4.1.

    My carbon footprint is 9.5 emissions in tones per year. This is again surprising to me as i thought i would need more since i use alot of technology.

    If the average Canadian creates 14.2 C02 per year thats means i as a kid only create 5.3 less. I think this a bad thing because after all i am a kid so its not really great.

    From my personal results were a surprise to me since i use technology and gasses as a big part of my life. But when it came to the question of cars and gas it made sense that it was not alot because my mom doesnt drive so we use the sky train when its me and her. But when it came to the earths it really surprised me that i only needed 4.1 earths if more people were like me.

    I think the the goal of 2.5 tones per person by 2030 is achievable. Everyone has to be informed and has to try and achieve this goal. This goal is achievable because i think when people want to change something they will. But at the same time this goal is hard to achieve since some people dont even know about greenhouse gases.

    There are many ways to change your daily actions or activities to your carbon emissions. One of them is reducing how much you use gas or oil. Usuing gas an oil for example cars creates a invisible blanket causing climet change. Another way is to stop usuing ad much energy, for example turning off the lights when you leave a room can help or even using energy-saving lightbulbs instead of normal ones. Littering and plastic are a big problem. Not littering and bying non plastic products or packaging can help alot with reducing your carbon emissions. Eating less meat can also help the environment, this seems weird since meat comes from a animal and it cant affect the environment right? Food production and transportation creates a big foot print but there are of course ways to help like, eating less meat or cheese, but some people dont want to go vegan so buying foods ftom from a close by farm can also help. To much water usage also can affect your footprint, like i said before avout energy water uses energy to clean it but likr always theres a way to help that shouldnt affect your daily activities so bad. One example is taking a short shower, especially when theres someone wanting to shower after you and itd also annoying to take a long shower and use up all the hot water, but another easier and more easily done way to help is turning off the water while brudhing your teeth. Even u stead on wating for the tap water to get cold store cold bottled water in the fridge and it gets colder in the fridge then from 30 seconds from the tap. The 6 activities i have listed are for you to help change your daily actions or activities to make a difference in your footprint.

  19. jaden32 says:

    My overshot of the days are 7 Jun.

    If all the people lived like me we would need 2.3 earths.

    The level of carbon footprint on my earth is 4.5.

    4. I create 4.5 CO2 emissions in tonnes per year.

    My resales make me feel shocked because cropland and Carbon footprints takes up the most land. The resales make me feel surprised because food is the biggest Consumption Category and mobility is take up the less. The resale make me fell worried because they are 0.1 grazing land and 0. 1 built up land. My resale make me feel inspired because Ecological Footprint is 3.7 and Carbon Footprint is 4.5 and other Carbon Footprint is 42.

    I think we can’t reach the goal because we need to eat meat and cheese and to store meat and cheese we need carbon emissions. We can’t reach the goal because we need to use cars and buses to go to work or so were far and cars and buses use carbon emissions. We need water to brush are teeth and we need to show and water uses carbon emissions.

    To reduce carbon emissions I am going to turn off the lights when I don’t need them on. I will use less water by using less water when I’m showering. I will try not to buy stuff with a lot of packing and reuse plastic bags. To reduce carbon emissions I will eat less meat and cheese and eat food that come from farmers near me. I will try no to use the bus, car and sky Tran. So that’s how I will reduce carbon emissions.

  20. alena2 says:

    I took the quiz, and it said that my personal Earth over-shoot day is March 22.

    If everyone lived like me, we would need 4.5 Earths. Compared to the average of Earths of a couple of different countries, my result is pretty average.

    My carbon footprint is 12.1 carbone emissions in tonnes per year.
    My carbon emission is pretty average, compared to an average Canadian (even though I am not Canadian :-)).

    My results make me feel inspired to try harder, so that there is future for human kind. I also think that we all should try to prevent taking any time of transformtion services. If that is not possible, it is better to use the public transport. The best ways to go somewhere, is to walk, or bike, scooter, etc.

    I think that it is an attainable goal. But we can achive that, only if evrerybody tries hard to. If only a few people try, we won’t be able to achive this goal. The goal clearly states that ‘2.5 tonnes per year, for EVERY person’. So, we all should spread notice, and participate in achiving this, pretty hard, but attainable, goal.

    I think I can change my daily actions to reduce my carbon emission by, first of all: walking. It is good exercise, and it is good for the environment. Second, I can always turn the tap off, when I am brushing my teeth, I know that some people don’t, because they are too lazy to do so, but I tell them that they are wasting a lot of water. Not-so-fun Fact: You use 1 litre of water, every time you wash your hands. Imagine, how much water you use, if you don’t turn off the tap while brushing your teeth (average time for bruushing your teeth is 3 minutes, average time for washing your hands is 20 seconds. I quickly counted, and mathematiclly it turns out that you waste an average of 9 litres of water, if you don’t turn off the tap while brushing your teeth!)? I can also try to eat less meat, and more vegetables, but almost all of the things I eat, containe meat. It is in my culture to eat meat a lot. I am sincerely sorry. Also, I can put the waste, not only into the garbage bin, but also into recycling, and organic. Another thing I can do is use less electrocity. I will always turn off the lights when nobody needs them, and always turn off the computer, TV, etc, when I am not using them. As, I belive, I already mentioned, I can use the less harmfull to the environment ways to go somewhere (biking, walking, scootering, etc.). And the other thing I will do is try to eat local foods more than any other foreign foods. You might ask, why? Well, it is because you have to send the foods by air, water, and ground. But that pollutes the air, because of all the gases that these vehicals release.

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