Environmental footprint introduction in Ancient Greek Way!

 

Athena (Goddess of Wisdom), and Apollo (God of Sun), will teach us key factors of environmental footprint step by step from GHG (Green House Gas), GWP (Global Warming Potential), to CO2e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalents).  

Apollo: When I radiate Sunlight (more technical solar radiation), fifty percent of the energy of solar radiation is absorbed by the Earth, and fifty percent of the energy of solar radiation is reflected back into space in the form of infrared radiation. I got one big problem. Now, the reflected solar radiation is trapped in the atmosphere which causes Global Warming. Do you know why that happens?

Athena: Our world is at its darkest point. The GHG (Green House Gas) traps reflected infrared radiation in the atmosphere. 

Apollo: GHG (Green House Gas), what the hell is that? I have lived for centuries, and have yet heard of GHG. Is GHG newly demon? 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Climate Gov

Athena: Yes, GHG (Green House Gas) came to life in the 1970s and has raised the surface temperature of the Earth at the rate of warming averaged 0.14° C per decade. If Demon continues growing larger, everything will be melted, and nothing will be left in the World. 

Apollo: How can we destroy GHG (Green House Gas)?

Athena: Not destroy, but balance. All good is created in balanced by evil. We can summon our Titan brothers and Titan sisters, who work on the Board of Worldwide top one thousand companies, to help our Muggle friends to challenge GHG (Green House Gas).

Apollo: What are the species of GHG (Green House Gas)?

Athena: There are four major species, Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases. 

Apollo: Are these four species having the same Heat-trapping magical power? 

Data credit: courtesy of UN

Athena: No, neither the Heat-trapping magical power nor the lifetime of these four species is the same. Scientists had decided to use one hundred years of a lifetime as the same basement for all species. Also, scientists had chosen Carbon dioxide (CO2) as the benchmark and defined GWP (Global Warming Potential) of Carbon dioxide (CO2) equals 1. See GWP (Global Warming Potential) table, Methane's (CH4)'s  GWP is 21, which means the Heat-trapping power of Methane (CH4) is 21 times potent than Carbon Dioxide (CO2). 

Apollo: Are our Muggle friends using GWP (Global Warming Potential) to represent the dangerousness level of Global Warming? 

Athena: Negative, GWP can only represent the level of  Heat-trapping magical power of each species. As for the dangerousness level, our Muggle friends use Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e), which equals the quantity of each species of GHG (Green House Gas) multiples GWP (Global Warming Potentials). 

Photo credit: courtesy of EPA

Athena: Here is the Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e) piechart, which tells that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) comprises 80% greenhouse gas, then comes to Methane (CH4) which comprises 10%. 

Athena: Why did I see that you drove the sports car, instead of your sun chariot?

Apollo had a sudden flush on his face. 

Apollo: I drove a sports car to pick up my girlfriend. 

Athena: What type of fuel engine is that sports car? 

Apollo: That is the diesel engine. 

Data credit: courtesy of Ecoscore

Athena:  Let me show you how much Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e) your sports car produces. Here is the Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e) table for each fuel. How many Kilometer does your sports car run per Liter?

Apollo: Approximately 22 Kilometers. 

Athena: 2,640 (from CO2e table for each fuel) / 22=120. So, whenever you drive one more kilometer, you produce 120 grams additional of  Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e) into the atmosphere. 

Athena: Does the happy house that you and your girlfriend live in have electricity bills?

Apollo: The household electricity is on average of 1,100 kWh per month. 

Data credit: courtesy of Energuide

Athena: Electricity factor (kgCO2e/kWh) varies from the combination of the production methods of each country. Here is the Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e) table in different electricity production methods. You may be able to find the electricity factor on your electricity bill. If you do not have this data you can use 0.5 kgCO2e/kWh as a rough approximation. 

1,100 kWh * 0.5 kgCO2e/kWh= 550 Kg, which tells that your household activities produce 550 Kg of  Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e) every month. 

Data credit: courtesy of IEA

Athena: In 2021, a Muggle on Earth produces 4.19 tonnes of CO2 on an annual basis. In order to limit global warming to 2°C, the average level of CO2 emission per capita must not exceed 2.1 tonnes by 2050. 

Apollo: Got it. I will drive sun chariot to pick up my girlfriend in order to balance Demon GHG (Green House Gas)  by decreasing the emission of Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e).