How human activities become environmentally damaging actions

You might think activities such as flying (long and short haul) driving cars with large engines and diesel engines would be the most environmentally damaging things a human can do.

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have undertaken a comprehensive study analysing over 39 peer-reviewed articles, carbon calculators and government sources to quantify the highest impact personal lifestyle choices in developed countries.

Owning a car is an extra 2.4t per year, one transatlantic flight is an extra 1.6t and eating meat an additional 0.8t But by  far the highest scoring was an ‘extra’ child at a whopping 59t. Note that for this study an extra child was anything above the global average of 2 children per female and was considered in a the context of a western country (because this has a much greater impact than an extra child in third world/developing countries such as sub-Saharan Africa). However, the research also found that reducing overall national emissions could make the climate impact of an additional child up to 17 times less.

Interestingly eating a plant-based diet can save 4 times more greenhouse gas emissions per year than recycling, avoiding that transatlantic flight saves 8 times more and making do without a car saves 11 times more (than recycling). Vegetarian? Great, because switching from plastic to canvas bags is less than 1% as effective for the climate as a year without consuming meat.

Activity Impact
Pollution from a typical car (per year) 2.4t
One transatlantic flight (return) 1.6t
Eating meat (compared to a vegetarian lifestyle) 0.8t
Having an ‘extra’ child 59.0t

 

Activity Impact
Using canvas bags, not plastic 0.001t
Recycling at home 0.2t
Eating a vegetarian lifestyle 0.8t
Transatlantic flight (return) 1.6t
Giving up your car 2.4t

 

Find out more:

http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/the-four-lifestyle-choices-that-most-reduce-your-carbon-footprint

http://www.lowimpact.org/whats-the-most-environmentally-damaging-thing-that-a-human-can-do/#more-61393

Check out our other articles here: News | Investors In The Environment (iie.uk.com)