Is yours too high? Don't panic, here NOLT explains how and why you can reduce your carbon footprint. So grab yourself a cup of tea, and let's get started.
Transport, consumer goods, food... We tell you everything.
You stepped on the scales, and your carbon footprint fell. Ouch! You weigh in at 10 tonnes of CO₂ this year. That's starting to look heavy... It could be that you've eaten a little too much chocolate, and neglected your bike. Don't worry, we've created a special guide to melt your CO₂. This will take you from 10 tons, to around 3 tons! So get your leggings on, and let's get going!
Before we begin, please note that we are not scientists. In fact, we've written this article with the help of reliable sources, which are cited and listed at the bottom of this publication. Our aim is only to give you some advice, because ecology is a value we wish to defend on a daily basis. On that note, we wish you a very pleasant reading. ☺
First, here's an example of a carbon footprint at 3 tons CO₂ equivalent, produced by Thomas Wagner. Thomas Wagner founded Bon Pote, a media outlet informing readers about environmental, climate and social issues.
Our aim: to help you reduce your carbon footprint in an educational way. Ne have therefore decided to base ourselves on your carbon footprint, and compare it to that of the average French person. This will give you an idea of the impact of certain actions on your carbon footprint.
And lose up to more than 2 tonnes of CO₂
Come on. After all... a little cardio... can't hurt.
As you probably know, in France, the number 1 source of emissions is transport.1
Here, it's the plane that's primarily singled out for criticism. ADEME states that, per person and per kilometer, air travel pollutes 14 times more than rail travel.2
Generally speaking, all modes of transport powered by fossil fuels, in this case oil and gas, should be reduced as much as possible, if not avoided. So, for travel, this also means taking the boat less.
Well, you won't be able to play the famous "Jack, I'm flying" scene on the ferry. But we'll get over it...
When it comes to daily mobility, the car also weighs in the balance, especially when it comes to heavy vehicles. The heavier your vehicle, the more fuel it consumes.
For example, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), SUVs consume 20% more fuel than mid-sizecars3. What's more, they are the 2nd largest source of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.4
So use public transport or light means of transport. For example, bicycles or electric scooters. According to Carbone 4, a consultancy firm specializing in energy and climate issues, these are most effective if they are intended to replace the use of a car (and not walking, for example).5
However,if you can't do without your car, it's possible to replace it with a small electric vehicle, if you can. In fact, according to Gildas Véret, a civil engineer specializing in earth sciences and the environment, quoted by the newspaper Bon Pote, this would be a good alternative.6
So, for your next trip to London, take the train (if you're new to rails, avoid running into the walls with your cart at platform 9 3/4. We've tried, it doesn't work).
Can lose you up to 1 tonne of CO₂ and more.
Indeed, the number 2 emissions item is none other thanfood. But why? What could be so bad for the environment?
Here, red meat is particularly targeted, for a variety of reasons. Indeed, according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), the United Nations body that coordinates countries' efforts to eradicate the end of the world, 46.7% of livestock-related GHG emissions are due to animal feed (due to deforestation, necessary to plant soy, which cows feed on), and 39.1% to what is known as enteric fermentation, i.e. cattle digestion (in particular)7.
Of course, these activities emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) in particular, but also methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Yet despite its shorter lifespan (around 12 years versus 100 for CO₂), methane is a more potent gas than carbon dioxide (on a 20-year scale, CH4 is thus 80 times more potent than CO₂, according to the UN8). Nitrous oxide, on the other hand, has both a longer lifespan than the two aforementioned gases (120 years on average), as well as a higher potency than them9.
The idea here is to eat less meat, especially red meat. If you'd like to find out more, here's a useful infographic:
Can lose you up to more than 1 and a half tons of CO₂.
In fact, most emissions from housing come from gas and oil-fired boilers, which are fossil fuels. According to Carbone 4, you should therefore invest in renovating your home if you live in what is commonly known as a heat sink (the aim would be to achieve energy performance level B), lower your heating (to 19°C ideally), or swap your gas or oil-fired boiler for a heat pump in particular, if you can.10
Can also cause you to lose up to more than 1 and a half tons of CO₂.
Yes, we owe4th place on the podium to the consumption of goods and services: household appliances, electronics (telephones, computers...), leisure (Internet, films...) and clothing. Here, as you know, most of these products are not manufactured in France, or even in Europe, which generates significant transport emissions, in addition to manufacturing emissions and those due to theextraction of raw materials.
For example, on a global scale, the fashion industry is the3rd largest consumer of water11, and one of the most polluting industries, notably due to the raw materials and textile machinery used to design garments.12
So go for durable (and/or easily repairable) products, second-hand whenever possible (electronics, clothes, household appliances...), and brands made in France or Europe (like Nolt) when you have to buy new clothes. No stress, you'll always look great, and you'll also have a better social impact thanks to your purchases.
So, to sum up, to reduce your carbon footprint: more cycling, less meat, less heating and more second-hand / made in Europe products. If you do that, you'll already be deflating quite a bit.
So, are you ready for a dry run?
1CARBONE4, [MyCO2] Empreinte carbone française moyenne, comment est-elle calculée?, 11/01/2022, https://www.carbone4.com/myco2-empreinte-moyenne-evolution-methodo,[07/04/2023].
2ADEME, Quels transports pour nos envies d'ailleurs?, 10/05/2021, https://agirpourlatransition.ademe.fr/particuliers/vacances-loisirs/ete/transports-envies-dailleurs, [07/04/2023].
3AGENCEINTERNATIONALE DE L'ENERGIE, Global SUV sales set another record in 2021, setting back efforts to reduce emissions, 21/12/2021, https://www.iea.org/commentaries/global-suv-sales-set-another-record-in-2021-setting-back-efforts-to-reduce-emissions?utm_content=bufferfba98&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin-Birol&utm_campaign=buffer07/04/2023].
4AGENCEINTERNATIONALE DE L'ENERGIE, Growth in CO2 emissions by energy sub-sector from 2010 to 2021, 26/10/2022 , https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/growth-in-co2-emissions-by-energy-sub-sector-from-2010-to-2021[07/04/2023].
5CARBONE4, Trottinettes électriques : pour ou contre le climat ?, 29/03/2023, https://www.carbone4.com/analyse-trotinettes-electriques, [07/04/2023].
6BONPOTE, Vivre à 2 tonnes de CO2e par an, c'est possible !, 13/01/2022, https://bonpote.com/vivre-a-2-tonnes-co2e-par-an-cest-possible/, [07/04/2023].
7TF1INFO, Viande et réchauffement climatique : ce que disent les chiffres (et ce qu'ils ne disent pas), 07/01/2019, https://www.tf1info.fr/environnement-ecologie/lundi-vert-viande-et-rechauffement-climatique-ce-que-disent-les-chiffres-et-ce-qu-ils-ne-disent-pas-2109456.html, [07/04/2023].
8PROGRAMMEDES NATIONS UNIES POUR L'ENVIRONNEMENT, Les émissions de méthane sont à l'origine du changement climatique. Here's how to reduce them, 20/08/2021, https://www.unep.org/fr/actualites-et-recits/recit/les-emissions-de-methane-sont-lorigine-du-changement-climatique-voici, [07/04/2023].
9TV5MONDE, Global warming: N2O, the other greenhouse gas, 24/12/2021, https://information.tv5monde.com/info/rechauffement-climatique-le-n2o-l-autre-gaz-effet-de-serre-43468, [07/04/2023].
10CARBONE4, Doing your bit?, June 2019, https://www.carbone4.com/publication-faire-sa-part, [07/04/2023].
11OXFAMFRANCE, L'impact de la mode : drame social, sanitaire et environnemental, 24/07/2020, https://www.oxfamfrance.org/agir-oxfam/impact-de-la-mode-consequences-sociales-environnementales/, [07/04/2023].
12LOOM, Du charbon dans le coton : pourquoi la mode doit réduire sa production, 17/02/2021, Du charbon dans le coton Pourquoi la mode doit réduire sa production - La mode à l'envers (loom.fr), [07/04/2023].
