For everyone who kiiiiiiinda knows.

Let's begin with a conversation that we wish were made up, but is just two real people from our office who are trying their best. Let's call them Amber and Jonathan.

Amber: Hey, what's carbon?
Jonathan: Amber! Come on, we talk about it all the time!
Amber: I know, can you just remind me?
Jonathan: Sure. It's like a, um… gas? Hold on, I used to know this.
Amber: …
Jonathan: It's bad, I know that. Ugh, let me think.
Amber: So you don't know either.
Jonathan: Listen, I know it has a footprint!

If our office is home to a couple of Ambers and Jonathans, we figured that there might be a few more out there. We get it! This stuff is complicated and science-y and often involves maths. But don’t worry, this is everything you need to know about that crap carbon everyone is talking about.

Carbon dioxide who?

First of all, you’ve been lied to. Carbon is not the problem. Carbon is just an element on the periodic table, named after the Latin word for “coal.” When people throw around words like “carbon footprint,” they’re actually using “carbon” as a shorthand for carbon dioxide (CO2), the most common greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is one of the most important greenhouse gases, along with methane and nitrous oxide, which also play a significant role in climate change. No wonder Amber was so confused!

So get rid of the CO2! 

We appreciate your moxie, but we need carbon dioxide to keep our planet warm. It blocks the sun’s heat so that it doesn’t escape into the ether. This process is known as the greenhouse effect, which is essential for maintaining Earth's temperature. Without CO2, our oceans would freeze, and we’d be very cold. Freezing! Literally! We’d be dead if you didn’t catch that. But right now, the blanket of carbon dioxide covering the earth has gone a little past cozy. Think itchy and suffocating – like the worst wool jumper.

If you can't handle the heat, get out of the greenhouse!

We think gas is hilarious. Greenhouse gas? Not so much. As a little refresher, we’re talking about gases like carbon dioxide that trap the sun’s rays in our atmosphere, making it like a greenhouse. Various greenhouse gases, including methane and nitrous oxide, also contribute to this warming effect. Get it? Pretty clever name, eh? As we mentioned, we need some greenhouse gases to keep our planet warm. Too many greenhouse gases, however, is too freaking hot.

Ok, but how does CO2 get released? 

By burning fossil fuels.

When people talk about carbon footprints, they’re really talking about the total amount of greenhouse gases—especially carbon dioxide—that get released into the air because of our everyday actions. A carbon footprint is measured by calculating the emissions associated with activities like food production, transportation, and energy consumption, including the use of electronic devices and residential energy use.

Carbon footprinting can be done for individuals, businesses, products, or even entire countries. Carbon footprints include both direct emissions (from sources you control, like your car or home heating) and indirect emissions (from things like the electricity you use or the products you buy). Other indirect emissions, such as those from the supply chain, are also included in comprehensive carbon footprint assessments.

Why does your carbon footprint matter?

It’s an indicator that helps assess the environmental impact of our actions, including broader environmental impacts beyond just greenhouse gases. The carbon footprint concept focuses specifically on greenhouse gases emitted from burning fossil fuels and other activities, while the ecological footprint is a broader environmental indicator that includes resource consumption and other environmental impacts. Ecological footprints and ecological footprint metrics provide a wider perspective on sustainability and environmental indicators.

Making choices that help the planet means trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Personal carbon footprints can be lowered by adopting energy-efficient lighting, unplugging electronic devices, and reducing residential energy use. Reducing emissions through these actions supports combating climate change and climate change mitigation. An individual's annual carbon footprint, or annual footprint, is influenced by factors like food production, transportation, and energy consumption.

Understanding your individual carbon footprint is important because tracking it helps in combating climate change and supports climate change mitigation efforts. The average carbon footprint of individuals in different countries can be compared to the global average, providing benchmarks for understanding and reducing emissions. International transport and raw material extraction are also significant contributors to a product's or country's carbon footprint, as are emissions associated with the entire life cycle of products.

What are those? This seems like it should be its own blog post!

Let’s clear up the carbon confusion! When people talk about carbon footprints, they’re really talking about the total amount of greenhouse gases—especially carbon dioxide—that get released into the air because of our everyday actions. This isn’t just about you or me; carbon footprinting can be done for a single person, a business, a product, or even an entire country. Every time we drive, eat, buy stuff, or use electricity, we’re adding to our carbon footprint. Why does this matter? Because all those greenhouse gas emissions add up, and they’re a big reason for global warming and climate change. The more we understand our carbon footprints, the better we can make choices that help the planet (and maybe even impress our friends at parties).

Hold on to your underpants, this might blow your mind. Plants and animals are partially made of carbon. When marine life (and nearby flora and fauna) died millions of years ago, their remains accumulated at the bottom of the ocean. Over time, they were buried under mud, sediment, and sand. The immense heat and pressure from being buried under A LOT (like a whole lot) of sand turned the organic matter into oil and gas. Today, when we drill for the oil that powers our world, we’re touching life from hundreds of millions of years ago. 

So you're trying to tell me that I'm driving around in a dinosaur? 

Sort of! Everything that requires fuel (cars, airplanes, power plants, barbeques, etc) uses these carbon-rich materials from the past. When we burn them, they release heat, energy, and, most pertinently, carbon dioxide. These are known as direct carbon emissions, which come directly from burning fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants, and other sources.

And that's why people talk about carbon footprint in relation to travel and such? 

Yep. A carbon footprint is how much carbon dioxide is released because of a particular person’s or group’s habits. An individual's carbon footprint can be compared to the average carbon footprint in their country and the global average, providing context for how personal choices contribute to climate change. In other words, it’s how much fossil fuel is burnt to support your decisions, which can encompass everything from flying a plane to eating a bagel.

Wait, there’s more than one kind of carbon footprint?

Oh, you bet there is! Not all carbon footprints are created equal. There’s your personal carbon footprint, which is all about the greenhouse gases you create from things like driving, flying, or just binge-watching TV with the lights on. Then there’s the product carbon footprint—think of it as the “life story” of your favorite snack, from raw materials to production, shipping, and even tossing the wrapper. And don’t forget about organizational carbon footprints, which cover everything a company does, from running offices to moving products through the supply chain. 

How big is the world’s carbon footprint, anyway?

Brace yourself: the world’s carbon footprint is massive. We’re talking over 40 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (and its greenhouse gas buddies) pumped into the atmosphere every year. The average global carbon footprint per person is about 4 to 5 tons of CO2 equivalent annually, but this number jumps way up in countries like the United States, where the average is closer to 16 or 17 tons per person. That’s a lot of carbon emissions! To keep global warming in check, experts say we need to get serious about energy efficiency, switch to renewable energy, and make big changes in how we live and work. The International Energy Agency has crunched the numbers: if we want to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C, we need to cut global carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050. So, every bit of energy efficiency and every switch to renewable energy counts toward shrinking that global carbon footprint.

But it has nothing to do with feet?

No, nothing to do with feet.

If you're looking to reduce your carbon footprint, try 100% recycled toilet paper! Because we don't cut down virgin trees to make our toilet paper, our production process involves a lot less carbon dioxide. It's a win all around for the planet (and your bum).