Carbon Footprints Independent Work

The carbon footprint of a device should consider ...

(Select everything that applies)

• The amount of Carbon Dioxide released

• The amount of Methane or other greenhouse gases that are produced

• Releases during the manufacture and use of a product

• Releases during the manufacture of the product's raw materials, and when it's disposed

• Whether any trees have been planted to 'offset' the release of Carbon Dioxide

Why is it hard to accurately calculate the carbon footprint of something?
(Pick Two)

• You don't always know whether electricity is generated from fossil fuels or 'clean' resources like wind

• Lifecycles are very complicated

• The maths is really difficult

• The Earth used to have more Carbon Dioxide

Burgers are made from beef (from cows). Cows, in their lifetime release a lot of Methane. The Burgers will be trucked around the country to restaurants where they are cooked and eaten.

What 2 options could the chain McBurger Hut use to reduce their carbon footprint?

• Use local beef to reduce transport distance

• Use other meats to reduce methane from cows

• Cut trees down to provide space for vegetarian food crops

• Transport beef in smaller lorries

• Burn methane to generate electricity.

• Promote public transport to reduce car journeys.

• Introduce renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, and geothermal.

• Make sure that oil is only used to power cars, and not to produce electricity.

Why might some countries or businesses be resistant to policies that reduce the carbon footprint of a country or business (Pick two)?

• Expensive new technologies could slow business growth, affecting jobs.

• Some countries will be better-off with some global warming.

• Businesses might move to locations where they can, cheaply, use older technologies

• Low-carbon technologies are usually very polluting in other ways.

Phony are designing a new smartphone. They estimate that for each phone:

1kg of CO₂ is released when mining raw materials and building the device,

Keeping the phone charged will release 1.5kg of CO₂ every year of use,

Recycling the phone prevents 0.5 kg being released in landfill.

If each phone has a two year design life, what would its Carbon footprint be?

• 3kg

• 2kg

• 3.5kg

• 4kg