Professor Calculates Carbon Footprints

By Carly Aulicky

After watching an Inconvenient Truth, RVCC physics professor Dr. Mira Franke became particularly interested in big issues like greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints.

“I have always been interested in the environment,” said Dr. Franke, “With the birth of my son, I started to think about the future. Environmental issues are very pertinent to the future of human civilization.”

Dr. Franke, who grew up in Michigan and received her Masters and PhD from the University of Michigan made her interest proactive in one of many Thursday afternoon Science Seminars. In her seminar, Dr. Franke educated students and faculty about carbon footprints, the importance of carbon emissions, and how to calculate your carbon footprint.

Climate change and global warming are different, explained Dr. Franke. In global warming, carbon dioxide keeps the planet warm through the greenhouse effect. Atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbs heat from the sun’s rays in a naturally occurring process.

Climate change is an anthropogenic, or man caused, warming of the planet. As man releases higher concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, a greater amount of heat is absorbed by the greenhouse effect. This is where carbon footprints and individual emissions come into play.       

Greenhouse gas potency is measured by the rate of deterioration (atmospheric shelf life) and the amount of heat absorbed by the gas from the sun’s rays.

Contrary to popular belief, carbon dioxide is not the most damaging greenhouse gas emitted on a daily bases. Other greenhouse gases have greater global warming potential (GWP) than carbon dioxide, Dr. Franke said.

Sulfur hexafluoride has been found to have the GWP of 23,900 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, making it the most potent greenhouse gas emitted.

The atmospheric concentration of sulfur hexafluoride has been steadily growing, said Dr. Franke. Like carbon dioxide, sulfur hexafluoride is emitted daily through the use of electricity.

While carbon dioxide does not have the highest GWP, it is still a major component if climate change.

“What makes carbon a concern is the sheer amount of it,” said Dr. Franke, “Carbon accounts for about 84% of 2005 emissions according the EPA.”

The United States emits 5228.5 million metric tons in carbon dioxide; the highest carbon emissions in the world.

This is why carbon footprints are a major concern in climate change. A carbon footprint is a measure of carbon dioxide productivity; the calculated amount of carbon produced by an individual or establishment.

Cars and light trucks make up two-thirds of US carbon dioxide emissions due to their use of gasoline. One gallon of gasoline, said Dr. Franke, emits 24 pounds of carbon dioxide. US fossil fuel use equals the weight of over 3 billion cars.

In addition to producing sulfur hexafloride, electricity also constitutes one-third of carbon dioxide emissions in the US.

Our daily choices directly impact the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. We are all unknowingly releasing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. To see what your environmental impact is, calculate your carbon footprint through any of these web sites http://go.ucsusa.org/calculator.html, http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html, http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalHYPERLINK "_parent" culator/ which Dr. Franke used in her seminar.

“Everyone should take daily interest in how they impact the environment,” said Dr. Franke.