In 2020 Google revealed that there had been a drastic increase in searches related to carbon footprints. People became more curious about the environment, health & mindfulness due to the pandemic. There is an awakening happening & a desire to understand things about the environment in more detail.

Questions included: What is a carbon footprint?, How can I calculate my carbon footprint?, What are greenhouse gases?

The term ‘carbon footprint’ was first coined in the early 1990s by William Reeves and Mathis Wackernagel. These ecologists felt like we had outgrown the term ‘ecological impact’ & we needed something that embodied the actual damage that was being bestowed upon the planet. Your carbon footprint is about your personal impact on the environment. This is related to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere due to the activities you engage in and the lifestyle you live.

WHO defines carbon footprints as a measure of the impact your activities have on the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced through the burning of fossil fuels and is expressed as a weight of CO2 emissions produced in tonnes.

Unfortunately, humans are having a terrible impact on nature. 68% of plants are in danger of going extinct, while species extinction has become 1000–10,000% more rapid than previously. The more people understand the statistical facts around climate change, the more people will understand the word ‘footprint’. There is rarely a time when someone deliberately strives to leave a footprint; it’s a ‘blemish’, it leaves a strong impression, making it very clear that someone has been there. The heaviness associated with a footprint can bring to mind the idea of trampling & stamping on something with no care of the impact.

What kind of activities impact my carbon footprint?

Charging your phone, using the washing machine, running water from the tap, driving & eating a T-bone steak for dinner. These are just a few examples of ways you can leave a trial of greenhouse gases around you, contributing to your footprint.

Why is it important to know your impact?

This is the part that inspires you. Comprehension. It can be daunting, to begin with; however, having more insight into it & into the activities that cause the most damage can really help you shift your behaviour.

Apps like YAYZY are designed to help you track & offset your carbon footprint. Offsetting is crucial & the climate compensation projects we support are having a positive impact on the environment; they include forest conservation projects & hydro renewable energy projects.

Download YAYZY *wink wink*