As part of its Climate Positive plan, the University of Toronto has committed to reducing its net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Students tell us they are also taking action – by cutting back on single-use plastics, for example, and using other ways besides driving to get around. Surveys have found that climate change is a top-five issue for Canadian youth. Among the students’ “other” responses: choosing more environmentally friendly products, cooking at home more often and conserving electricity and water. Diljot Badessha, a fourth-year student at U of T Mississauga, says she recently started composting at home to reduce food waste. “Doing that small task doesn’t seem like a lot, but I’m proud of it and I think I’m helping.”
34%
Using less plastic and paper, recycling more
19%
Taking public transit
15%
Walking and biking
11%
Carpooling
21%
Other
This highly unscientific poll of 100 U of T students was conducted across the three campuses in January 2023.
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One Response to “ What Are You Doing to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? ”
It seems that the single most effective thing that can be done at the individual level - eating less animal food products, beef and dairy in particular - has been left out. Both are large sources of methane emissions in particular (1 kg of methane being equivalent to 26-85 kg of CO2, depending on the time horizon under consideration).