Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon

Mt. Lake Public School looking to ‘tread lightly’
MLPS is one of more than 100 public high schools, colleges, and universities across the state that has joined with Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon, a program that challenges schools to reduce their footprint.

What’s carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact an individual’s, family’s, company’s, industry’s, school’s, product’s, or service’s activities — directly or indirectly — have on the environment.

It relates to the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced in day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating, and transportation, etc., and released into the atmosphere. It is measured in tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

These gases warm the atmosphere by absorbing heat that’s radiated by the earth, then releasing only a portion of that heat into space. The most dangerous, long-lasting greenhouse gases produced by humans are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons.

Is carbon dioxide all bad?

Actually, it’s not. Diamonds are pure carbon, and what’s not to like about them? Our bodies are mostly made of carbon, as is just about everything we touch and see, from tree stumps to trash bags. But carbon is also oil, natural gas, and coal — thus, its polluting connotation.

The complete story can be found in the print
version of the Observer/Advocate.

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