I know my boot size: 12. I know my hat size (7 1/4). I know my neck size, sleeve length, sport coat size, pant size (inseam and waist - don't ask). I know the square footage of my house, liter displacement and horsepower of my truck engine (ok, ex-truck) and I even know my ring size.
But I'll be darned if I know the size of my carbon footprint. And, until today, I hadn't much of a clue how to figure it out. Which has been sort of a problem because I've been routinely chided by friends familiar with this little blog to figure out - even rough back-of-an-envelope approximations of - just how green (or how hypocritically - the measurements would tell!) I was actually living.
At one point - just for heuristic, motivational purposes - I got out an envelope and turned it over... but sadly, instead of conclusions, I kept drawing blanks as to where and even how to start. Then (inspiration struck and) I thought, it must be the medium. I used to be a poet of sorts - and a songwriter - and I'd always found bar napkins to be the ultimate in inspirational stationary.
But the napkins didn't really work either. Someone may as well have suggested I do a "back-of-the-envelope" calculation of the parabolic plastic force of a 14-foot tall wave breaking at 19.7 MPH under partly-cloudy skies while Neptune rises in Aquarius... on the moon.
I guess you could say, carbon-footprint-size-wise, I was pretty much clueless. Until now. Tonight I stumbled on Greenopolis, an active little blog with nearly 3000 members, some interesting posts and comments, and best of all for my purposes, under the "myopolis" link, this handy-dandy, all you need to get your number, CO2 Footprint Calculator.
It couldn't be easier. I'm going to check mine immediately. After I publish this post.
I'll get back to you with the results... if you'll share yours. It's ok. Really. We're here to learn, not to judge.
UPDATE: And just in case you're even farther behind than I am and don't know what, exactly, a carbon footprint is...there's no more excuses.
UPDATE #2: Gasp!
Its a good question and it will be an interesting exercise to see what your calculated footprint is...
ReplyDeleteHere you go, XOG.
ReplyDeleteSobering.
Whats the CO2 footprint of the ocean? Ill give you a clue less than 91% and more than 89%. We need to tax the living shit out of the people and use the money to stop the ocean from committing this crime to humanity. Wake up people.
ReplyDelete