Change the World Wednesday – 22nd Feb

The world has returned to normal, it continues to rotate slowly about its axis and in turn around the sun.

The coffee helped, coffee always helps in a time of crisis.

We return you to our normal CTWW programme.

This week’s Change the World Wednesday:

Calculate your carbon footprint today at climatecare.org, carbonfund.org or http://www.nativeenergy.com and find out what you can do to minimize it, including purchasing carbon offsets.

“An alternative definition of the carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide attributable to the actions of an individual (mainly through their energy use) over a period of one year. The term owes its origins to the idea that a footprint is what has been left behind as a result of the individual’s activities.” – Surrey Health

Well, I went to one of the sites above and calculated. I use about 1,800kw/h of electricity and 56 kgs of bottled gas. Based on that my carbon emmisions = 1.2 tons of CO₂ requiring me buy £9 of off-sets.

Now I have two issues. One is that they make provision for a car, but there is no provision for a public transport use estimate; as I use public transport  daily, this figure is wrong.

Secondly, I grow a lot of plants, vege and fruit plants mainly, and there is now way of calculating the CO₂ that I reabsorb. So a further anomaly arises.

I consider that what I use and what I return are pretty much a balance, because my plants work 24/7, my other uses that produce a negative impact do not.

I just found a plant calculator on the second of SF’s links, I estimate that I am responsible for about 5 trees equivalent per year, which gives me a credit for $5.00. I found a public transport one, but the calculator appears and then disappears, so I haven’t yet been able to use it.

The plot thickens.

I have found a calculator that gives me Brazilian figures… after all, I am in Brazil. My carbon footprint has reduced to .26 tons of CO₂  and a further .16 tons on public transport. My secondary footprint (buying and lifestyle preferences etc) add 2.6 tons. I get a total result of: Total = 2.87 metric tons of CO2 and this comparison:

Your Footprint	Country Average	World Target

Looks like I have some work to do.

If you are interested in this country specific calculator, try Carbon Footprint Calculator.

Unmitigated Disaster!

Today is Wednesday.

Carnaval can be distracting

I remembered when I was washing the dishes. I have been disorientated since last Thursday because of carnaval here in Rio. Carnaval does that to some.

I opened Reduce Footprints… A regular Wednesday thing.

Whaaaaaaaaaaa! No CTWW!

*checks calendar*

*runs cursor over pc clock*

Both confirm that it is indeed Wednesday…

*reloads Reduce Footprints* Obviously there is something amiss…

Still no CTWW.

*Stares at screen blankly*

…………. *blinks*

I know, not enough coffee, I’ll go and make some and the world will have returned to normal.

You browse around here, while I make the coffee.

The above images are all taken in the new renovated Sambódromo this year.

Below is the other side of carnaval.

Disaster Area - all that remains after the blocos (street parades)

But the garis are quick on the job to clear hundreds of kilos of rubbish

Carnaval is a colourful time in Rio de Janeiro, but it does generated tons of rubbish. It doesn’t hang around long, the garis (council road sweepers) are quick on the job to return the route back to normal. This year, for the first time, efforts were made by cooperatives of catadores to separate the rubbish into recyclables.

The blocos are the street parades, to give you an idea of their size, Cordão de Bola Preta in Cinelândia and downtown Rio attracted a record crowd of 2,2 million followers. That’s one big party and a hell of a lot of rubbish.

“We’ll return you to the regular CTWW programme soon…”