Mimi Cheng Carbon Footprint Project
My carbon footprint at the beginning of the semester was 5.41 tons, most of which came from my electricity use and dietary habits. Therefore, I decided that my project would be twofold: first, I would not purchase any “new” food, and second, I would rely on existing, public electricity rather than contributing to my apartment’s electricity wattage. I was interesting in using all available resources use any “new” energy.
So, for the past few weeks, I have not bought any food at the grocery store. My pantry and freezer had more food than I thought, and many of my meals consisted of lots of different variations of pasta, noodles, and brown rice. There were some instances where I was simply in the right place at the right time for some food, or I was working for a meal. I got a loaf of bread from OK Natural for free because it was going to expire the next day. I found food, such as fruit or bags of chips that people had left in classrooms. A friend gave me a bag of food that she bought but found unappetizing. Despite these , I did take a trip to the farmers market, and buy some sandwiches at Cafe Doris when I did not plan ahead and bring food to class and was pressed for time. I regret not taking the initiative and going dumpster diving, or volunteering with Food not Bombs. If I were to attempt this project again, I would most definitely do those things.
I came to the realization that all food, no matter where I got it, has a pathway. It is meant to be consumed by someone, and in my case, I was attempting to stop it from going to waste, which I define as the food not reaching its potential as a form of sustenance. Many times, I ate food that people bought but ended up not eating, or food that people had forgotten, such as the orange that they had left on a table. The grey area occurred when people would offer to share food with me. The calories I consumed would need to be replenished by the individual at a later time because I was taking some of their share. I got many of my meals this way, but always ate with a slightly guilty conscience because it wasn’t exactly in accordance with my intent. Nevertheless, my stomach prevailed, and I gladly accepted a plate of my room mate’s roast chicken.
I began the second part of my project by mapping out all the public spaces on campus from which I could obtain electricity and heat. These public spaces always have their lights and heat on, and unfortunately, it often goes to waste because no one is benefitting from this energy output. I spent a lot of time in the library, the Gateway, and the Cafes. It was an interesting way to experience the different ways that public and private spaces are defined on a college campus. I would be on campus until one or two in the morning, finishing up assignments under the bright lights of Cafe Doris, coming home only to sleep. I did my best to unplug everything in my room. Regularly, I only have two lamps plugged in. Certain things, like my cell phone and my laptop, needed to be charged. It didn’t really make any difference where I plugged it; they would use up energy anyways. As a result of my actions, my monthly electricity wattage did decrease slightly, even with the days becoming shorter.
Looking back, not only was my project reasonably successful in reducing my carbon footprint, it also saved me a few bucks, especially on groceries. I ate surprisingly well, and found that I often preferred working in public spaces. Writing this post a week after the end of the project, I still have not gone grocery shopping, but I am writing in the comfort of my own room, with one lamp on.
