In class we calculated our carbon footprint. If I lived closer to where I go to school and work, then my carbon footprint would be a lot lower because I could walk or ride a bike to at least these places. If I lived in a more urban area I would also have more access to public transpiration. Basically, I think that I need to move back to Philly and live and work there. If I lived in a city I would also have more access to locally grown food and secondhand garments and appliances. Surburban detached single family dwellings with their huge lawns and central air conditioning systems that are populated by commuters would seem to me to have the highest carbon footprints.
Why do we care about the size of our carbon footprint? Because it directly hastens global warming with will cause climate change that even developed nations are not prepared for. This climate change will not affect our generation that much probably, but does anyone care about the fates of our descendants? We'll be dead, so we will care nothing of if our descendants curse us for leaving them all of these problems, when we knew exactly what we were doing. Is our species doomed to make messes and unsuccessfully try to clean them up, or will we learn to think in the truly long-term, for the good of the species rather than the individual.
If we all move to the city, is that going backward or going forward? Going back to early part of the 20th century, did people live near the cities? Because the growth and the popularity of cars, we were able to move away from cities.
ReplyDeleteSo here is the million dollar question, should we just get rid of all the cars in the world and live near cities? Would that solve the climate change problem?
The whole carbon footprint calculation definitely bothered me because like you said - it would be better if you moved to a city where you were able to do everything in that one area. However, that's only going to happen for a few people! Not everyone has that luxury to live in close proximity to where they work, own their own car, or only buy locally grown food! My carbon footprint was actually larger because I use public transportation... doesn't that seem backwards? I'm not sure if I totally agree with the calculation but I think if we try to reduce our impact it won't matter what our "calculation" comes out to as long as we put in an effort!
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