What is a Carbon Footprint?

Put simply, it's the amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) an individual is responsible for producing during the course of a year.

This amount is usually given in metric tonnes (1000 kilos to a tonne, 2.2 pounds to a kilo). The worldwide average footprint is 4 tonnes, but the average per region varies widely. For example (using 2002 figures), it's 11 across all industrialised nations, in the UK it's 9.2, China is 2.9, India 1.1, and U.S. is 20.

To keep the worldwide temperature rise due to global warming at 2 degrees centigrade (which is still classified by climate scientists as "dangerous"), the worldwide average needs to come down to 2 tonnes.

That might seem impossible or, at least a serious threat to our lifestyles, but apparently the solutions are already available, without having to invoke some as yet undiscovered 'silver bullet' or going back to the Dark Ages. We just need leadership, the political will, and big thinking.

Of course, to get that, we need to make sure our leaders finally get the message: The time for change is NOW!