Module 7 Lab

Module 7 Lab Instructions Follow instructions on the Module 7 Lab page on Canvas. Then, answer the questions below where you'll have a chance to calculate and confront your own contributions to climate change using UC Berkeley's carbon footprint calculator, which provides ideas for carbon (and dollar) savings as well. We use energy in everyday activities, from turning on the lights to driving/bussing to school. Most of that energy is derived from burning fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), into the atmosphere. A carbon footprint is the total amount of GHG emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product. A household’s carbon footprint varies depending on factors such as home size, types of vehicles used, and what household members eat and purchase. We care about our carbon footprint because GHGs absorb energy and trap heat in our atmosphere. We need some amount of GHGs in our atmosphere to survive, but too great an amount and too rapid an increase can have devastating effects on our environment, our health, and the economy. Current consumption of fossil fuel releases more than 25 billion tons of CO 2 into the atmosphere every year. If current trends continue, there will be a tripling of atmospheric CO 2 by 2100 – levels not seen for more than 40 million years. By measuring our carbon footprint, we can learn how we are contributing to this rise in atmospheric CO 2 and how we might use energy more efficiently. Questions 1. Before entering any of your personal information into the calculator, record the average carbon footprint for a household in your zip code at your income level. Fill out only the shaded boxes in the table below. (6 pts) Location # of people in household Annual Household Income Average footprint (tons CO2/year) Your zip code: enter on the calculator but not here 3 Enter on the calculator but not here 40   tons CO 2 eq/year 2. Next, keep the number of people and income the same but choose two distant locations with different climates and means of getting around. Fill out only the shaded boxes in the table below. (6 pts) 37874 same as above same as above 40   tons CO 2 eq/year 48223 same as above same as above 40   tons CO 2 eq/year 3. Why do you think that at the same income level and household size, people in these locations would, on average, emit more or less carbon? (6 pts) Response: Greenhouse gas emissions are caused by many of our everyday activities. W e produce greenhouse gas emissions from burning fuel, burning home heating oil or gas, or using electricity produced from coal, natural gas, and oil. But the people of different locations would on average emit different amounts of carbon. Suppose the western countries. the western countries are more developed than some other less developed countries or maybe than the developing countries. Page 1 of 5

4. Next, keep the location and number of people the same but vary the income to be lower and then higher than your household. Fill out only the shaded boxes in the table below. (6 pts) Your zip code: enter on the calculator but not here same as above much lower: enter on the calculator but not here 35   tons CO 2 eq/year Your zip code: enter on the calculator but not here same as above much higher: enter on the calculator but not here 47   tons CO 2 eq/year 5. Why do you think that at the same location and household size, people with different incomes would emit more or less carbon? (6 pts) Response: I think it is from the difference is because of the way of living or due to the standard of living. People the amount of use of this product will be based on the income this will ultimately affect the emission of carbon. This rate is directly proportional to the income: the higher is the income higher is the emission of carbon in general. Next, complete the calculator up to the Take Action section using the most accurate information you have. Your utility bills will contain the information necessary to fill out the Home section. For more accurate results, average several months of statements from different seasons to extrapolate energy use for a year. If necessary, you can use averages; the average home in Washington uses 12,000 kWh per year. You will be asked for the percent of energy you purchase from a clean-energy program. Leave this value at zero unless you know that you are enrolled in Green Up, a Seattle City Light program that allows customers to pay slightly to invest in renewable energy: ( https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/residential-services/home-energy-solutions/renewable- energy-credits) . 6. When you finish, enter your data into the table below in the shaded columns. You find the numbers for each section by hovering the mouse ice over each bar. (10 pts) Travel (tons CO2/yr) Total Home (tons CO2/yr) Total Food (tons CO2/yr) Total Goods (tons CO2/yr) Service s Total footprint before reductions (tons CO2/yr) % better or worse than averag e Household contribution s Air: .54 Car MFG: 1.45 Car Fuel:12.33 Total:14.3 2 Construction:1.4 0 Water:.97 Other:.59 Natural Gas:2.43 Electricity:5.42 Total:10.81 Other:1.65 Cereals:.9 7 Fruit & Veg:.91 Dairy:1.15 Meat:3.01 Total:7.69 Other:1.58 Furniture: .7 5 Clothing:1.7 7 Total:4.1 All:2.9 3 41   tons CO 2 eq/yea r 0% Page 2 of 5

10. How do these readings overlap with your findings in the carbon footprint calculator? Do you feel that environmental benefits and burdens are distributed equally in the way that individuals address climate change? (5 pts) Response: The readings heavily imply that low income and areas with a heavy population have higher levels of carbon emissions per person which is reflected with the calculator as the area I typed in Detroit has both and has a 17% higher number then my neighborhood I currently live in which has neither. I also ran a number that was for a wealthy neighborhood and it was 7% lower than the neighborhood I live in. I do not believe that environmental benefits are distributed as a lot of the blame falls on low income neighborhoods and people of color but rich people produce quite a bit as well. No one ever mentions that though. They just choose to blame poor people as they have to take jobs that pay less and live in closer quarters. Communities with lower levels of income and education are often more impacted by air, water and noise pollution, as well as climate change. So are the elderly, children and other vulnerable groups.  In many cases, vulnerable groups are exposed to multiple environment- and climate-related hazards . 11. In what way(s) can the climate gap be closed? Which actions do you think are most urgent? (5 pts) Response: We can start to close the climate gap by identifying climate gap neighborhoods that are most at risk. We can then invest in these communities to promote community preparedness to cope with and recover from extreme weather events. Greenhouse gas reductions from emission sources that also emit toxic pollution in Climate Gap neighborhoods. Specifically, energy efficiency measures lead to less consumption of fossil fuels, reducing both greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants. This is an efficient strategy to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent preventing climate change and saving lives today. Job training resources to Climate Gap neighborhoods, which are likely to suffer the highest rates of job loss or transition due to climate change and efforts to prevent climate change. I think the biggest action we need to take is starting to invest in high climate areas in an effort to close the gap. By investing time and money we can start to help save our planet. Seattle plans to be carbon neutral by 2050 – a huge mitigation of carbon emissions, mostly from the transportation sector. But how will we adapt to the warming that has already occurred and what is in store? The City is writing a new Climate Action Plan to meet our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, including a chapter dedicated to adaptation. The report is a collaborative process and asks for the community to provide input for each section of the report. The report is a series of recommendations to the City of Seattle from the Green Ribbon Commission (26 representatives pulled together by the Office of Sustainability and Environment from government, private businesses, community organizations, non-profits, etc.) Specifically review “Preparing for Climate Change”, starting on page 52 of the Climate Action Plan: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/Environment/ClimateChange/2013_CAP_20130612.pdf . Preparation is broken into the following categories (choose what is most relevant to you): natural systems, utility systems, land use and the built environment and community preparedness. 12. Describe, in your own words, three adaptations that Seattle is taking to prepare for climate change. (10 pts) Response: Seattle wants to be carbon neutral by 2050 and some ways they are doing that is by increasing enforcement of restrictions of recycling for residential and business. This basically means they are banning items such as bricks, clean wood, and compostable paper from trash in an attempt to increase recycling. Seattle is also supporting a new program to reduce construction and demolition waste. They plan to do this by creating grading standards for structural lumber so it can be used more easily. This will help reduce the amount of overall waste and construction debris. Finally they plan to launch some outreach programs about recycling and composting to the people of Seattle in ana attempt to educate so everyone knows why its important to recycle. Page 4 of 5

13. Do you feel that environmental justice is present in the actions Seattle (or another city) is taking to prepare for climate change? Why yes or no? (5 pts) Response: I feel Seattle has a good plan of action for being more green. They are generally trying to do the environment justice with their plan of action and wanting to be carbon neutral by 2050. Although they have the right ideas they need to actually follow through. I think if they follow through with everything they will be ready to help combat climate change. 14. Finally, visit the schedule of COP 28, coming up on Nov. 30, 2023 (link on the Module 7 Lab page). Describe one day/topic that is relevant or interesting to you. For example, Dec 3 is about “Health/relief, recovery and peace”. (5 pts) Response: Day 10 is about Food, Agriculture and water. This day seems the most interesting to me as I am curious what they have to say about and what they want to do to help with the future of agriculture and how it will impact climate change. As temperatures rise diseases that are more common in hot and humid areas begin to spread as urban centers with a higher temperature that are in densely populated areas which are typically in areas such as coast lines and river. Page 5 of 5