【明報專訊】The reduction of CO2 emission is at the centre of the effort to mitigate the impact of climate change to the environment. Living a low carbon life is one way to achieve that goal. Every aspect of our lives, such as clothing, eating, accommodation and transportation, can be part of a low-carbon lifestyle if we follow the 4R principle: reduce, reuse, recycle and replace. Low-carbon living is closely related to sustainable development, living standard and energy technology.

carbon footprint(碳足印)

The manufacturing, processing, transportation and even disposal of products come with the use of resources and energy, meaning that carbon dioxide is produced. The term "carbon footprint" refers to the amount of carbon emission when a product goes from source material to waste.

Low carbon living ×

public transportation：When the journey is short, walk or bike. Choose trains, trams or minibuses powered by LPG for mass transit or public transportation. 2.314 kilograms of carbon dioxide is produced when one drives from Sheung Wan to Chai Wan. But with an MTR train, just 0.7986 kilograms is produced.

energy conservation：By switching off appliances that are not in use, an ordinary household can reduce the production of carbon dioxide by 100 kilograms annually.

consumption habits：Wise consumption means that we only buy things that are necessary. We can also donate old clothes that are clean and intact to charity.

green eating：Greenhouse gases produced by the meat industry account for 20 percent of worldwide emission. Eating more vegetables and less meat - or becoming vegetarians - helps reduce carbon production. Consumers should buy food produced locally or in neighboring regions to reduce energy emission from transportation.

Related concepts:

?sustainability

?environmental consciousness

?recycling industry

[通通識 第498期]