A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the production, use, and end-of-life of a product or service. It includes carbon dioxide (CO2), the gas most commonly emitted by humans, and other gases such as methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (NO2), and fluorine (F). These are greenhouse gases that affect human health and trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming.
The carbon footprint of a person, organization, or country can be direct or indirect. Direct emissions include energy used to drive a car or use electrical appliances. Indirect emissions include anything that requires energy to produce, such as food or clothing. Typically, the majority of an individual's carbon footprint will come from transportation, housing, and food.
Calculate the carbon footprint of a trip
Sustainable Travel International, a nonprofit organization that researches innovative solutions in tourism, says the industry generates about 8% of the world's carbon emissions.
Minimizing your carbon footprint while traveling helps protect the environment.
You can calculate your emissions for both your daily life and your trips with a carbon footprint calculator. When starting a trip, these apps consider the average carbon footprint of different types of travel. For example, Sustainable Travel International's app assumes that a passenger will emit between 0.14 and 0.55 kg of carbon emissions per kilometer flown, depending on cabin class and distance.
However, the type of aircraft and payload also play a role. For other modes of transport, the type of fuel must also be taken into account. Some applications also take into account emissions from the manufacturing process of the vehicle over its lifespan. In short, carbon emission applications give different results depending on the baseline established.
Specifically, the Environmental Protection Agency's application only counts within the limits of a single household, such as energy consumption, personal transportation, and household waste.
Carbon emissions come largely from travel (Photo: Sustainable travel international)
Meanwhile, Conservation International, an NGO dedicated to finding environmental solutions, introduced their carbon tracking app that can calculate carbon emissions both at home and while traveling.
The app uses baseline data from 2013 and 2015 and provides detailed calculations. For example, a night in a rented room emits about 0.0383 kg of carbon per occupied room. Flights under 186 km emit about 0.00025 kg of carbon per person, traveling by subway or metro emits approximately 0.00012 kg of carbon per person, and buses emit about 0.00006 kg of carbon per person.
Carbon footprint reduction methods
After calculating the amount of carbon emissions using the above applications, travelers can easily orient themselves on what they need to do to reduce carbon emissions. Tourists should consider traveling by train or bus instead of plane for short distances.
According to Conservation International, intercity rail travel produces less than half the carbon emissions of a short-haul flight, and buses emit about a quarter of the carbon emissions of air travel. So travelers should choose trips that cut down on their transportation journeys.
Planning your trip ahead of time makes it easier to calculate your carbon footprint.
But you don’t have to avoid long hauls to drastically cut carbon. Choose a direct flight on a fuel-efficient airline. Once you’re at your destination, opt for a clean-fuel or electric rental car instead of a conventional gas-powered one to get around.
Also, consider staying at hotels that are committed to sustainable travel practices. If not, you can keep your air conditioning to a minimum. On the other hand, beef, lamb, and pork all have large carbon footprints compared to plant-based protein sources. Travelers can opt for vegan meals to gradually reduce their methane and carbon footprint.
