I am wondering if there is a simple formula to calculate the carbon footprint for certain vegetables. For example, I'd like to know the carbon footprint for a single bag of name-brand kale in the pacific northwest. I'm trying to demonstrate to local students that they can reduce their carbon footprint by growing their own vegetables. For outreach events I will be supplying people with vegetable seeds (like kale) and I think it would be great to give real numbers about carbon reduction. Thanks!
Thre are sparse evidences for some brassicas like cauliflower that can give a broad reference, even if carbon emissions from strws and roots depends on waste management. http://shop.bsigroup.com/upload/Shop/Download/PAS/Case-Study-TH-Clements-UK-EN.pdf
Hello Meghan,
take a look at this simple calculator, please http://www.foodemissions.com/foodemissions/Calculator.aspx
Although it is quite simple, it can be helpful, i think.
It is always worth to underline that the carbon footprint on vegan/vegetarian diets is much smaller than on traditional one.
If you have questions about vegan diet, feel free to write me.
Regards,
Tom
It is actually pretty complicated to determine the carbon footprint of a crop because of all the energy inputs that go into the growing and harvesting process. Everything from preparing the soil, fertilizer, herbicide and/or insecticide, or even release of insectivores to reducing spraying insecticides and then harvest. The biggest contribution to the carbon footprint could be transportation, depending on how far the plant is shipped. I would focus on a "cost per mile" calculation and assume most of the rest of the carbon footprint is about equal no matter where it is grown.
It is pretty complicated to get precise results. However, you do not need them. You can get a general idea on the amount with the help of the other answers. What you could do with these approximations is: Test them against what students come up with.
Seriously, ask them what they think (if they have previous experience, this will likely be a normal distributed dataset).
Then, let them develop a model/formula.
They will probably come up with:
1. production (machine fuel, resource Input for pesticides and fertilizer)
2. processing
3. Transportation (ship? plane? lorry?)
4. storage (infrastructure, freezing?)
Or something like that. Probably they will even discuss production costs for machinery, or hard vs. soft sustainability-concpts. Having access to internet devices, they can estimate amounts of carbon dioxide for each step. You can then compare this with the rough estimates and intervene, if it is too far off.
Anyway, you will have a great teaching/learning opportunity and your point will come across.
Calculations Used in Carbon Footprint Calculator
Written By: Jeremy Caves
HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]" [email protected]
Car Emissions:
Car emissions are calculated by dividing the miles driven by the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. This number is then multiplied by the CO2 emissions coefficient, 19.36 lbs CO2/gallon of gasoline, and then divided by 2204.6 lbs/metric ton to obtain the tonnes of CO2 emitted from car travel (Equation 1).
Equation 1
EMBED Equation.3
Carbon foot prints can be effectively calculated if you have precise knowledge of all steps of that activity and energy/ carbon estimates. I think in agricultural science barring the trees and perennial sit is little difficult due to their short cycle but contrary intensive agriculture has high carbon footprints. If you take all cost of production of input in that crops it will be very high than food we derive from it.
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