Ecosystem

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ESS 205 Confronting Global Change (Prof. M. Diamond) February 28, 2019 – Energy

Due Monday March 4, 2019 11:59pm

Background Cheap, readily available and high density energy underpin our way of life. For many of us it is difficult

to imagine life without flicking a switch to get light, coming into a warm indoor environment, and easy transportation with the city and city-to-city. However, as we learned in the discussion regarding climate change, this convenient way-of-life is at risk as we grapple with climate change caused by combustion of non- renewable fossil fuels.

This week’s assignment focusses on personal steps that you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.

We do this because each contribution to reducing our carbon emissions makes a difference. The first step in reducing your energy consumption, and most importantly, energy consumption that results in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is to estimate your energy budget. This week we will use a readily available carbon footprint calculator to estimate your carbon emissions caused by major carbon-emitting energy-consuming activities. This is the most direct way to formulate your demand-side actions to achieve a lower carbon-future.

Goal To derive practical recommendations to reduce your carbon footprint (demand-side control) based on the major activities that contribute to your carbon footprint.

Your Assignment Calculate your carbon footprint using the Carbon Footprint Calculator at: https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx Input your data to the spreadsheet provided through Quercus.

1. Estimate your approximate C footprint for one year that includes all major trips. We suggest that you choose the year beginning in 1 May 2018 and that extends to the end of the school year on 30 April 2019 (project into the future). Start by specifying your location and dates that you resided there. If you lived in a different location during the summer 2018, then calculate your carbon footprint for that location in the months you resided there, e.g., May to August 2018. Note your carbon footprint for each activity at that location. Repeat the carbon footprint calculation for the months you resided in Toronto. Calculating your carbon footprints requires you to input information for your home, flights, transportation, and consumption of foods and products. Do your best to estimate these for one year. If you live in residence or an apartment building, then estimate your home energy consumption using average statistics (Statistics Canada, 2011). Note that for the secondary carbon footprint emissions due to consumption of food and products, the input options are for British pound, US dollars or Euro. Approximate our purchases in Canadian dollars which then need to be converted to US for the C footprint calculator. Input all your estimates to the spreadsheet for each category into Tab “C-1”. Note the units of each category. 2. Tally your carbon footprint for each category and for each location. Present the data in the spreadsheet provided. This is your current carbon footprint under Tab “C-1”

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4. Recommend a minimum of 3 ways in which you can significantly and realistically reduce your carbon footprint. These recommendations must come from your data and must not be based on general information - that is essential for this assignment. 5. By what percentage can your reduce your footprint by adopting those 3 recommendations? Tally your future carbon footprint that includes the recommendations made in #4. Show this difference in the spreadsheet, Tab 2 “C-2”. 6. Comment briefly on major activities missing from your carbon footprint and/or that are highly uncertain. References: You must reference the carbon footprint calculator. You do not need to consult other references. You may choose to consult other references that you can add. Marking Rubric:

Problematic D-F

Fair (C) Good (B ) Excellent (A)

Complete and detailed calculation of your carbon footprint: you have accounted for, as accurately as possible, all major activities that contribute to your carbon footprint.

1.2 or less 1.4 1.6 1.8

Recommendations clearly derived from carbon footprint, will result in a significant decrease of your carbon footprint if adopted, and are feasible and reasonably achieved: Your recommendations demonstrate that you thoughtfully considered your carbon footprint and how you would strive to reduce it in a realistic way.

1.2 or less 1.4 1.6 1.8

Clear presentations of carbon footprint in spreadsheet, report all websites and references consulted: Entries in spreadsheet or easily understood. Sufficient and use of reputable websites, and use of appropriate references.

0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8

Reference Cited

Statistics Canada. 2011. Households and the Environment: Energy Use. Catalogue no. 11-526-S https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-526-s/11-526-s2013002-eng.pdf

Conversion Factors

1 Can$ = 0.76 US$

Natural gas m3 = 10.557 kWh (https://www.abraxasenergy.com/energy-resources/toolbox/conversion- calculators/energy/)