Sustainability and Carbon Footprints
Our next reading for course is this New Yorker article about carbon footprints. One thing we’ll discuss in class is the subtitle about “confusing morality and science.”
In addition, see the course schedule for instructions about completing two carbon footprint models.
The footprint models show what percentage of the Earth’s resources would be required if everyone on the planet lived a lifestyle just like yours. If everyone were to use equal amounts of the earth’s resources at a renewable level, and if we set aside just 12% of those resources for all the other species, about 39 acres would be available per person. Currently the global population uses abotu 58 acres per person. That is clearly not sustainable in the long run! Many scientists believe that we should set aside about 33% of the earth’s resources for other species, which reduces the human share and makes our current consumption look even more harmful.
Thanks to Environmental Science professor Karl Korfmacher for collecting the carbon footprint model resources.
*
To prove you're a person (not a spam script), type the security word shown in the picture.
