Skip to main content

Environment: treading lightly on the Earth

Completion requirements
View all sections of the document

This figure is a sketch of a human footprint divided horizontally into five sections. The toe section represents the mass of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions arising from an average UK inhabitant’s purchase and use of UK produced and imported consumer goods and services, at about 4 tonnes CO2 equivalent per year. The ball of the foot section represents the mass of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions arising from an average UK inhabitant’s travel by car, air, public transport and bicycle, at about 3.5 tonnes per year. The upper arch of the foot section represents the mass of carbon dioxide emissions arising from an average UK inhabitant’s home energy use for heating, lighting, etc., at about 3 tonnes per year. The lower arch section represents the mass of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions arising from an average UK inhabitant’s consumption of food and drink, also about 3 tonnes per year. The heel section represents the mass of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions arising from an average UK inhabitant’s use of public and government services ranging from education and investment in roads to defence, at about 2.5 tonnes per year.

 1.2 The carbon footprint boundary