Carbon Footprint: Definition, Causes, and How to Reduce It

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A carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activities. You can imagine it as an invisible carbon trail. This trail contributes to global warming and climate change.

In general, every use of energy, transportation, and consumption produces carbon. Electricity usage, vehicle use, and meat consumption all leave a carbon footprint. The more activities you engage in, the larger your carbon footprint will be.

Therefore, it is important to understand the size of your carbon footprint from your daily lifestyle. Read this article to find out more about what a carbon footprint is and various effective ways to reduce it!

Understanding Carbon Footprint

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a carbon footprint is the greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), produced directly or indirectly by an activity or entity.

In other words, every human action that requires energy, fuel, or natural resources will leave an emissions footprint. The higher the level of energy and resource consumption, the greater the environmental impact.

Causes of Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprints come from various human activities that produce greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O).

These gases are released into the atmosphere through combustion, energy consumption, and the production of goods. Here are some of the leading causes of carbon footprints:

The utilization of fossil fuels for transportation, industry, and power generation.
Excessive consumption of electricity in homes, offices, or public facilities.
The production and consumption of red meat generate methane gas (CH₄).
Industrial and manufacturing activities with energy-intensive production processes.
Agricultural and livestock activities that produce greenhouse gases.
Deforestation or land clearing reduces the Earth’s ability to absorb carbon.

Examples of Carbon Footprints

Here are some examples of carbon footprints commonly found in daily life, both from individual activities and from other sectors.

Emissions from private transportation, such as cars and motorcycles, are produced every day.
Emissions from electronic devices that still rely on electricity from fossil fuel sources.
Emissions from the burning of aircraft fuel for long-distance flights.
Emissions from red meat consumption, especially beef, are produced as methane gas during the farming process.
Emissions from burning waste, which produce CO₂ and other harmful substances.
Emissions from food waste, as food that rots in landfills, produce methane gas.
Emissions from industrial activities, such as cement, steel, and chemical production.
Emissions from the use of LPG gas for cooking in households.
Emissions from the production of new clothing, which requires a lot of energy for dyeing and distribution.

Carbon Footprint Calculation

Carbon footprint calculation is the process of calculating the total greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activities, both directly and indirectly.

This calculation includes energy use in households, transportation activities, food consumption patterns, and waste management. The carbon footprint calculation is expressed in tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e).

Through this calculation, you can find out how much impact an activity has on the environment and find effective ways to reduce it in the future.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

According to The Global Economy, CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion in Indonesia totaled around 675 Mt CO₂e in 2023. This figure shows that Indonesia’s average emissions per person are pretty high compared to those of other Southeast Asian countries.

This condition serves as an essential reminder to start playing an active role in reducing your personal carbon footprint. To reduce your carbon footprint, start with small things. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Use Environmentally Friendly Transportation

Reduce the use of high-emission private vehicles, especially gasoline-powered ones, because their combustion can release pollutants into the air.

So, try walking, cycling, or using public transportation for short trips. In addition to reducing air pollution, you are also helping to reduce carbon emissions directly.

2. Reduce Red Meat Consumption

Red meat production, especially beef, produces high greenhouse gas emissions because the farming process produces methane (CH₄) from livestock waste.

Therefore, you can start reducing your red meat consumption by replacing some of your red meat dishes with plant-based protein sources such as tofu, tempeh, or nuts.

3. Saving Electricity

Excessive usage of air conditioners, televisions, fans, or lights also contributes to carbon emissions. This is due to the process of generating electricity to produce energy.

According to the International Energy Agency, total energy-related carbon emissions increased by 0.8% in 2024 to 37.8 Gt CO2.

This contributed to a record atmospheric CO2 concentration of 422.5 ppm in 2024, about 3 ppm higher than in 2023 and 50% above pre-industrial levels.

Therefore, adopt the habit of turning off lights and electronic devices when they are not in use to reduce your carbon footprint.

4. Reduce Waste and Make Recycling a Habit

You can separate inorganic and organic waste and reuse usable items. For example, you can turn used cans into pencil holders and used plastic bottles into flower pots.

Every small action you take to reduce waste can help reduce carbon production from waste disposal and combustion processes.

5. Plant Trees and Support Greening Activities

Trees play a crucial role in absorbing carbon from the air. These greening actions can start with planting plants at home, participating in reforestation activities, and supporting environmental programs in your surrounding area.

In addition to planting trees, you can also participate in reforestation movements or environmental communities that actively protect local ecosystems. This step not only helps absorb carbon but also maintains air quality and biodiversity.

That concludes the explanation about carbon footprints, from their definition and causes to how to calculate them and simple steps to reduce them.

Fundamentally, understanding carbon footprints is key to minimizing climate change and maintaining the balance of the Earth’s ecosystem.

The Indonesian government has established various policies, such as implementing a carbon tax and the FOLU Net Sink 2030 Program, to control national emissions from the forestry and land sectors to achieve a net-zero emissions target in the future.

However, protecting the environment is not only the government’s responsibility but also part of our role as individuals who care about the future of the earth.

If you want to be part of positive change and help keep the earth green, join Indonesia Asri. Through this community, you can get involved in various environmental activities as part of the #AksiAsri campaign.

Register now to become a Warga Asri and help preserve the environment for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Indonesia!