響應世界地球日，許多人藉著這個機會重新審視他們的行為如何影響周遭的環境。根據加州大學柏克萊分校研究人員所作的一項最新研究報告發現，最直接影響氣候變化的行爲取決於個人社經背景與所居住的地方而大相徑庭。
加州大學柏克萊分校再生能源和能源適切性實驗室（或成爲RAEL）的研究員，也是此份報告主要作者克里斯多弗‧瓊斯表示：「每個人的碳足跡都不一樣。因此，沒有所謂一個每個人都適用的減排行動標準。」
這項研究將每個家庭經濟活動所產生的碳排放量，包括交通、能源、食品、貨物、服務、水和廢物等等納入計算項目。
碳足跡為一種衡量在生產、使用和處理、服務過程中所釋放，進而導致氣候變暖的溫室氣體量。
生產階段包括從原物料的取得，至產品在商店裡販售給終端消費者的整個過程。
該研究分析了所有50個州，28個地區，6種家庭戶人口和12個收入級別典型家庭的碳足跡。綜合起來可能家庭類型的組合達數千種。
該分析結果總結在http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu的線上碳計算器上，供大衆計算個人的碳足跡，並依所居住地方在生活方式上加以改變，既可減少最多的溫室氣體排放量。
該項由瓊斯和REAL總監丹尼爾‧卡門（Daniel Kammen），也是加州大學柏克萊分校教授能源和資源的教授，目前利用休假期間在世界銀行從事研究所共同作出的研究報告，刊登在本期的 「環境科學與技術」 雜誌。
卡門表示：「我們的主要信息很簡單。如果你想減少碳足跡，或希望通過政策降低他人的碳足跡，那麽著眼於最能減排的行動是很重要的。我們的線上工具就是要協助人們做到這一點。」
用戶輸入個人的位置、家庭人數和收入，然後再花幾分鐘回答幾個基本生活方式的問題，以達到更精確的估計，既可以快速地算出個人的碳足跡。然後，民衆還可將其結果與其他類似家庭作比較，進一步得到針對個人訴求設計的行動計劃。
用戶還可以開設帳戶，加入類似的住戶群體分享自己的碳足跡概況和減排策略。此外透過線上比賽，各級地區、社區團體和企業都可以互相競賽。
With Earth Day around the corner many are taking a fresh look at how their actions affect the environment. A new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, finds that who you are and where you live make a big difference in which activities have the largest impact on the climate.
"Everyone has a unique carbon footprint," says Christopher Jones, lead author and a researcher in UC Berkeley's Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, or RAEL. "There is no one-size-fits-all set of actions that people should take."
The study considers the carbon footprint of all household economic activity, including transportation, energy, food, goods, services, water and waste.
Carbon footprints are a measure of the climate-warming greenhouse gases released during the production, use and disposal of products and services.
The production phase includes all processes between the time raw materials are extracted until they reach consumers as finished products in stores.
The study analyzed typical household carbon footprints in all 50 U.S. states, 28 regions, six households sizes and 12 income brackets for a total of several thousand possible combinations of household types.
The results of this analysis have been summarized in an online carbon calculator, located at http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu, that can be used by anyone to estimate his or her carbon footprint and identify areas where lifestyle changes would create the largest reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The study by Jones and RAEL director Daniel Kammen, a UC Berkeley professor of energy and resources who currently is on leave at the World Bank, appears in the current issue of the journal "Environmental Science & Technology."
"Our primary message is simple. If you are concerned about reducing your carbon footprint, or the carbon footprint of others through policy, it is important to focus on the actions that lead to the greatest reductions," said Kammen. "Our online tool can help people do just that."
Users can get a quick estimate of their carbon footprint profile by typing in their location, household size and income, then spend a few minutes answering basic questions about lifestyle for more personalized estimates. They can then compare their results to similar households and get a customized action plan.
Users also can create accounts and join groups of similar households to share their carbon footprint profiles and reduction strategies. An online competition allows cities, counties, community groups and businesses to compete against each other.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
