During your studies of GCSE Geography, you will learn much about how humans put pressure on the environment due to our needs for resources. Management of the environment appears in several different sections of the syllabus and will often refer to the 'carbon footprint' of individuals, businesses, industries and whole nations.
Carbon footprints for MEDCs are generally greater than LEDCs due to greater industrialisation, greater wealth leading to more consumerism and a ready access to motorised transport. Some people believe that MEDCs should assist emerging economies to manage their carbon footprint.
A carbon footprint is the term used to measure human impact on the natural environment.
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It works by calculating the greenhouse gases that we produce in our activities and has the units of kilograms of carbon dioxide per person. The carbon footprint of individuals vary considerably, some people make a big effort to reduce their carbon footprint for example, by using less energy, buying fewer consumer goods and using their motor vehicles less. In the UK, the average is about 10,000 kg of carbon dioxide per person but worldwide, the average is 4,000 kg of carbon dioxide per person.
The global search to satisfy the increasing demand for food can have positive and negative repercussions. Larger carbon footprints are one of the negative aspects due to the increasing number of 'food miles' travelled. In LEDCS, food production is usually local, often families grow their own. Transport is by hand and consequently has little impact on the carbon footprint of a nation.
As a country develops, the local production of food is less common, farmers seek new markets further afield in order to increase profits. Shops, particularly supermarkets, import foods from countries on the other side of the globe. Every mile that non-locally produced food travels requires transport, transport uses fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gases into the air. The greater the number of food miles, the greater the carbon footprint.
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1.
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The carbon footprint measures ... |
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| [ ] |
the impact of humans on the environment |
| [ ] |
shoe size |
| [ ] |
the exact amount of carbon that a motor vehicle produces throughout its lifetime |
| [ ] |
the number of trees in a square kilometre of woodland |
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2.
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To which environmental issue is the carbon footprint linked? |
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| [ ] |
Acid rain |
| [ ] |
Background radiation |
| [ ] |
Climate change |
| [ ] |
Ozone depletion |
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3.
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As a LEDC develops economically ... |
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| [ ] |
its carbon footprint is likely to increase |
| [ ] |
its carbon footprint is likely to decrease |
| [ ] |
its carbon footprint will remain unchanged |
| [ ] |
its carbon footprint will go down slightly for a month then will rise up again |
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4.
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A carbon footprint of a country is given in ... |
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| [ ] |
millimetres |
| [ ] |
tonnes of carbon |
| [ ] |
litres of carbon dioxide |
| [ ] |
kilograms of carbon dioxide per person |
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5.
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For which of the following can a carbon footprint be calculated? |
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All of the following |
| [ ] |
An individual |
| [ ] |
An Industry |
| [ ] |
A country |
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6.
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Which of the following is not a method of reducing a carbon footprint? |
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| [ ] |
Buying food that has been grown locally |
| [ ] |
Reducing the number of plane journeys |
| [ ] |
Building low-cost homes |
| [ ] |
Investing in renewable energies |
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7.
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When a government, company or individual does something that compensates for their carbon emissions, it is called carbon offsetting. Effectively this reduces their carbon footprint. Which of the following is not an example of a method of carbon offsetting? |
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Flue gas desulfurisation |
| [ ] |
Improved energy efficiency |
| [ ] |
Renewable energy |
| [ ] |
Tree planting schemes |
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8.
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The Kyoto Protocol is ... |
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| [ ] |
a geography book that has been made into a film |
| [ ] |
a system used to measure carbon footprints |
| [ ] |
an agreement made by governments to try to reduce their country's carbon footprint |
| [ ] |
a law about the quantity of greenhouse gases a country is allowed to emit in one year |
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9.
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Which of the following activities does not contribute directly to a person's carbon footprint? |
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| [ ] |
Being driven to school |
| [ ] |
Growing |
| [ ] |
Taking a holiday abroad |
| [ ] |
Using a smartphone |
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10.
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Indirect carbon emissions are often overlooked when thinking about a personal carbon footprint. Which of the following is not an indirect carbon emission? |
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| [ ] |
What you eat |
| [ ] |
Driving |
| [ ] |
Buying clothes |
| [ ] |
Packaging |
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|
1.
|
The carbon footprint measures ... |
|
| [x] |
the impact of humans on the environment |
| [ ] |
shoe size |
| [ ] |
the exact amount of carbon that a motor vehicle produces throughout its lifetime |
| [ ] |
the number of trees in a square kilometre of woodland |
|
|
|
2.
|
To which environmental issue is the carbon footprint linked? |
|
| [ ] |
Acid rain |
| [ ] |
Background radiation |
| [x] |
Climate change |
| [ ] |
Ozone depletion |
|
|
|
3.
|
As a LEDC develops economically ... |
|
| [x] |
its carbon footprint is likely to increase |
| [ ] |
its carbon footprint is likely to decrease |
| [ ] |
its carbon footprint will remain unchanged |
| [ ] |
its carbon footprint will go down slightly for a month then will rise up again |
|
|
|
4.
|
A carbon footprint of a country is given in ... |
|
| [ ] |
millimetres |
| [ ] |
tonnes of carbon |
| [ ] |
litres of carbon dioxide |
| [x] |
kilograms of carbon dioxide per person |
|
|
|
5.
|
For which of the following can a carbon footprint be calculated? |
|
| [x] |
All of the following |
| [ ] |
An individual |
| [ ] |
An Industry |
| [ ] |
A country |
|
|
|
6.
|
Which of the following is not a method of reducing a carbon footprint? |
|
| [ ] |
Buying food that has been grown locally |
| [ ] |
Reducing the number of plane journeys |
| [x] |
Building low-cost homes |
| [ ] |
Investing in renewable energies |
|
|
|
7.
|
When a government, company or individual does something that compensates for their carbon emissions, it is called carbon offsetting. Effectively this reduces their carbon footprint. Which of the following is not an example of a method of carbon offsetting? |
|
| [x] |
Flue gas desulfurisation |
| [ ] |
Improved energy efficiency |
| [ ] |
Renewable energy |
| [ ] |
Tree planting schemes |
|
|
|
8.
|
The Kyoto Protocol is ... |
|
| [ ] |
a geography book that has been made into a film |
| [ ] |
a system used to measure carbon footprints |
| [x] |
an agreement made by governments to try to reduce their country's carbon footprint |
| [ ] |
a law about the quantity of greenhouse gases a country is allowed to emit in one year |
|
|
|
9.
|
Which of the following activities does not contribute directly to a person's carbon footprint? |
|
| [ ] |
Being driven to school |
| [x] |
Growing |
| [ ] |
Taking a holiday abroad |
| [ ] |
Using a smartphone |
|
|
|
10.
|
Indirect carbon emissions are often overlooked when thinking about a personal carbon footprint. Which of the following is not an indirect carbon emission? |
|
| [ ] |
What you eat |
| [x] |
Driving |
| [ ] |
Buying clothes |
| [ ] |
Packaging |
|
|
