Articles about global warming refer often to the terms GHG, CO2 and carbon footprint. What do these terms mean?
These terms relate to each other but mean different things. GHG is short for ‘greenhouse gas’. The greenhouse gases that contribute most to global warming are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (NOx). CO2 is a by-product of the burning of fossil fuels like petroleum, coal and natural gas. A carbon footprint is defined by Boulder’s ClimateSmart campaign as the amount of GHGs a person emits annually through their electricity, natural gas and vehicle fuel use. A carbon footprint is typically measured in pounds or metric tons of CO2. An online tool designed to allow Boulder County residents to calculate their carbon footprint will be available in September at www.beClimateSmart.com.