LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Climate change is a concern that everybody has a stake beginning in the household.

According to Urban Planner Architect Sheeree Nolasco,  President of the Causa Nostra who lectured on localizing climate change adaptation and reality challenges of climate change recently at the Provincial Capitol,  there are local realities that impact on climate change that can also be observed around, in the backyards, neighborhood, roads, parks, and paths one takes from home to work.

These are challenges that have to be looked into if only we are serious in adapting and mitigating climate change,  Nolasco hinted. She underscored a lifestyle check in determining the carbon dioxide emission if only to reduce carbon footprints.  

As defined in the Wikipedia, a carbon footprint is "the total set of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event or product"   It is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted.

There are a number of ways in mitigating climate change such the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), unplugging of appliances and lights when not in use, use green charcoal which is recycled from waste, and use of rainwater.

She urged  to  minimize the purchase and consumption of items that come in disposable plastic packaging and pre-packaged meals/food, patronize locally produced food, eat less meat and go vegetarian, recycling of papers and composting of biodegradable waste.

On transportation, these include  carpooling, regular cleaning and maintaining of vehicle to improve efficiency, use of alternative car fuels such as biodiesel, bioethanol, or LPG, and use public transportation.
      
On community service is the planting of trees, backyard gardening or nurture a green roof or partially or completely making use of the building rooftop as garden.

The carbon footprint of a household or an individual may be determined employing a point system of carbon dioxide usage.  Nolasco shared this test with equivalent points which may help should one choose to reduce carbon emission.

At home, use of incandescent light bulbs in your home (+300), use air-conditioning for more than 12 hours (+1000), long showers with insufficient shower heads (+340), use of hot water (+550), appliances and lights on or plugged when not in use (+970), compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) for lighting (-300), microwave (-55), use of gas oven or green charcoal recycled from waste (-330),  use rainwater (-14).

On consumptions, regularly purchase/consume items that come in
disposable/plastic packaging (+3260), regularly eating of pre-packaged meals/food (+5000), print single-sided sheets (+3300), eating locally produced food (-5000), recycle and compost biodegradable waste (-730).
 
On transportation, personal car for daily mode of transportation (+2750), speed unnecessarily at more than 60mph (+140), carpool daily (-1600), regular cleaning and maintaining of car (-200), use of alternative car fuels such as biodiesel, bioethanol, or LPG (-3000), taking of public transportation daily (-2000)

On community service planting of a tree (-300), wind power for power
needs (-3280),  solar power (-820), nurture a “green roof”(-2250), establishment of open space, garden, play area (-120), eat less meat or go vegetarian? (-3924)
 
The equivalent points are as follows : Climate Hero, 0 – 8,999; Carbon
Cutter, 9,000-11,999; Carbon Indifferent,  12,000-14,999; and Carbon Culprit,  15,000-18,000 lbs/year.