Comments on: Question of the Week: Do You Think Your Carbon Footprint Is Smaller Than Your Parents’ or Grandparents’?

By: Manish Kumar

Manish Kumar — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:33:23 +0000

No, Our Carbon Footprint is bigger than our Parents’ or Grandparents’.
Our greed for a comfortable life & talk big is growing day by day and hence our carbon footprint. This is like sigmoid curve, in earlier days of civilisation, there were only natural sources of Carbon footprint. With run of development of civilisation, it is growing day by day. Someday, saturation will come, but where we will be at that point of time is the matter of concern.

By: Libby

Libby — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:09:17 +0000

No, I think our carbon footprint is bigger because they grew their own food – even sold at farmer’s markets, they had to be careful with their garbage so they composted and burned garbage (it’s illegal where we live to burn but we recycle). However, they did not even think about solar energy, nor did they have the means to research it, but we do (checking out http://www.how2buildsolar.com) so we are hoping to add solar panels to begin to move toward living off the grid if possible.

By: Hari Bindal

Hari Bindal — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:59:01 +0000

How could the carbon foot print be the same as of the old times, while it is not same as in last ten years. About ten years ago, only a few SUVs and/or Vans were seen on the roads/highways, their use has incresed tremedously to 30% to 50% to now over 70% of the number of small cars. I hate one person driving a 7 person seat van to work and other places. The Vans and SUVs consume twice as much of the gasoline. One side Government is promoting car pools, other side these Vans and SUVs on roads not only wasting fuel energy and adding to the carbon foot print, they also are creating traffic hazard.

Vans a SUVs block the front view of small cars, they run eigther to fast or too slow, thus likely to cause accidents. They jump in front of small cars and block their view. I hate when some Van jumps in front of me.

I wish, and I advocate, the use of Vans and SUVs must be restricted to a minimmum, imposing certtasin regulation, such as very high road tax, permitted to only those who have genuine need, such as a large family or a business that demand such vehicle, etc.

I have advocated this to Maryland Department of Transportation, about 5 years ago, I did not get a reply. The Federal Department of Highways and EPA must do something about it, restrict use of Vans and SUVs, not only to reduce the carbon foot print but also the road hazard.

By: J Bleeker

J Bleeker — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:32:33 +0000

I think my CF is about the same as my parents but higher than my grandparents. Something to consider- During 2008 national ridership on mass transit equalled the highest ridership in the USA which was around 1954-55. The population in the US was about 169 million v today with 330 million people. I won’t mention a comparision of the number of cars per person that were on the road….

By: Dylan

Dylan — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:08:25 +0000

Oh carbon footprint! CO2 is good for Earth. The EPA, along with the rest of the useless government agencies, needs to be shut down.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:05:18 +0000

“I remember my grand parents telling me how people in olden days were more strong, less prone to infections and he said it was all due to the FRESh AIR that they had.”

Or maybe the reason why we are more prone to infection is because of all the crap our government allows in our food.

By: sharon

sharon — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:24:28 +0000

Oh, Hell no!!!

By: Lara & Vara Sharma

Lara & Vara Sharma — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:21:47 +0000

Ofcourse Not.

We are living in the “Teach World”. Where things are invented to make life easy for the people. The thought about trees and environment comes secondary.

I remember my grand parents telling me how people in olden days were more strong, less prone to infections and he said it was all due to the FRESh AIR that they had.

Inventions to make life easy has certainly made life more complicated. Look around and you will see things those are just burning away our environment – cars, machines, smoke, plastic, what not.

Like I just did in my school science project “Fresh is Best”.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:07:24 +0000

Our carbon footprints are the ones causing all these problems. We have too much of everything. We consume too much of nature, we replace and give back so little. We must do what we can so our planet will not suffer the terrible consequences. We must remember the future generations who will be born to this world.

Gabriel

By: Jackie R.

Jackie R. — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:11:04 +0000

No, our carbon footprint is definitely larger than the previous generation(s). The standard of living is generally much higher, so people travel more, have numerous cars, buy larger houses, afford lavish appliances…We emit more carbon dioxide than ever before, and its due to our very accustomed, comfortable lifestyle.

I think of my 98 year-old great aunt who always tells me about the “old days” on the Hill in Saint Louis, Missouri. She would say how they didn’t have much money, and would play games in the street or just get together with one another and have fun. “Nowadays, all you kids do is spend money and go, go, go!”

In some ways, she is right. As a society, we worry and rush to get from one place to another and expect instant gratification. And unfortunately, our planet is paying that price.