What is my carbon footprint?
I have no idea. The calculators are weird to me. I don’t have a car, I commute everywhere. I don’t keep track of my energy bills. I don’t turn off my computer when I’m not using it, but then, I’m using it more than not. I have energy efficient bulbs in most of my lights. I eat meat (organic/grassfed when I can get it) and organic vegetables when I can. I’ll walk the extra blocks to a farmer’s market rather than buy cheap yukky veggies, but I eat meat so that somehow increases my carbon footprint. So those stupid calculators make ME feel like I’m doing something wrong, but the vegetarian hippie who drives a hybrid SUV down to the mall to buy Free People clothes and more LUSH soaps gets a pass.
That’s not very motivating.
Am I going to stop eating meat because of it? No, probably not. Am I going to give up and run out and buy a car without paying attention to the gas mileage? Again, no, probably not. I just find those calculators unconvincing and unhelpful. Am I going to stop caring about the climate? No. But I would like a concrete way that I can see myself making a difference. It’s too bad there isn’t really one.
