Environmental Footprint Final Exam Xxxx Xxxxxx ECS 111 P ✓ Solved

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Environmental Footprint Final Exam Xxxx Xxxxxxecs 111 P

Areas of resource use considered in my footprint calculations: 1. Water Consumption 2. Carbon emissions 3. Plastic Use

1. Water Consumption: a) Shower – showerhead uses 2.50 gallons per minute. I use both of the showerheads in my household regularly. Both have the same rate of water flow. To determine my weekly water consumption by showering, I timed my showers using a stopwatch. The results and calculations using liters per minute are documented below.

Showerhead Water Consumption Day Shower Length (min) Shower Length x LPM rate Liters Used

1 16.21 16.21 x 9.5 L 153..3 24.3 x 9.5 L 230..4 29.4 x 9.5 L 279..18 20.18 x 9.5 L 191..5 gallons per minute (GPM) = 9.5 L per minute (LPM) 5 32.56 32.56 x 9.5 L 309..37 19.37 x 9.5 L 184..48 26.48 x 9.5 L 251.56 Avg. 24..07 x 9.5 L 228.665

In order to investigate whether the tub fill had a higher flow rate, and thus, consumed more water, I recorded the amount of time it took to fill a mop bucket with water. Though I don’t take baths, these calculations represent the amount of water that is wasted while waiting for the water to heat up. Mop bucket has 12 markings on it.

To determine what the equivalent to a gallon was, I filled a gallon jug with water and poured it into the bucket; water up to line 4.5 on the mop bucket = 1 gallon of water. 4.5 1 gallon = 12 ð‘¥ gallons 4.5x = 12 ïƒ x = 2.67 gallons in 1 full mop bucket.

It took 42.28 seconds of running water to fill up the mop bucket. 42.28 seconds 2.67 gallons = 60 seconds x gallons x = 3.79 gallons per minute from tub fill. Using the stopwatch to record time, it takes about 1.24 minutes for the water to heat up. From the calculations above, this is the equivalent of 4.70 gallons of water that are wasted before I step into the shower. Converted to liters, this is 17.8 liters that should be added to each shower’s water consumption.

In doing this, the results are as follows: Liters Used per Shower Total Liters Consumed 153.99 171..85 A 248..3 D 297..71 D 209..32 17.8 L 327....56 269.36 Average: 228..47.

The calculations found in the previous pages are a representation of my water use when I shower at home. Though I go home relatively regularly, I spend the school-week in my residence hall dorm. Though most of the rates of water consumption are the same at home and on campus (i.e., toilet and sink water use), the most significant difference is in the rate of water flow in the showers. The dorm showerheads are low-flow (Wright, 2014), using an approximated 2.25 gallons per minute instead ("Compute your use," 2014) of 2.5.

Using the average shower times recorded at home, which do not change significantly while on campus, my estimated water use from the dorm shower head is:

2.25 gpm = 8.5 Lpm 24.07 minutes (average shower time) x 8.5 L = 204.6 Liters

b) Toilet Consumption of water c) Sink 2.2 gallons per minute = 8.33 liters per minute

Hand washing: # of Washings in one day Time (seconds) Liters Consumed 1 25.16 8..33 L 60 sec = x L 25.16 ð‘ ð‘’ð‘ → 3..4 3.25.

Toilet Flushes per day Liters of Water Used Average: 5..21 2..27 4..54 2..33 2..64 3..43 3.39 Total in a day ïƒ 187.98 26.1.

Brushing Teeth: faucet is shut off while not in use; time reflects the amount of time the water is actually running in the processing of brushing my teeth.

Totals of the dayïƒ 2.39 19.90.

Dishwashing: Living on campus for most of the week, I don’t have the accessibility to cook in a kitchen. As a result, I don’t produce the same amount of dirty dishes that I would at home. Nonetheless, I do prepare some food, and heat the food that I bring from home.

Thus, excluding cooking kitchenware such as pots and pans, the amount of tableware (plates, cups, bowls, and silverware) that I use in my dorm is probably a close representation of my individual contributions to the dirty dishes at home.

On campus, I clean my dishes in a bucket that I fill twice: once for washing, and once for rinsing. To determine the amount of water used in doing so, I filled my dishwashing bucket with water, and then transferred it into the mop bucket where I could calculate the liters used. The water reached about line 8 in the mop bucket.

From previous measurements, it was determined that line 4.5 = 1 gallon.

1 gallon = 8 ð‘™ð‘–ð‘›ð‘’ ð‘¥ ð‘”ð‘Žð‘™ð‘™ð‘œð‘›ð‘ x = 1.78 gallons = 6.73 Liters (6.73 liters for washing + 6.73 liters for rinsing) x 4 times per week = 7.69 L/day 7 days per week.

Washing Clothes: I wash approximately 3 large loads of laundry every two weeks. My Kenmore washer at home uses an average of 52 liters per load, while the commercial Maytag washers on campus use an average of 47 liters per load (Abt Appliances).

However, I more than likely use more water per load than the average, since I typically wait to accumulate larger loads to avoid consuming excessive energy. Thus, my water use is likely closer to the washers’ capacity. As a benchmark, I’m going to assume that the water consumption required for my loads is somewhere between the “average load” and the maximum capacity:

91 ð¿+47 ð¿ 2 = 69 ð¿ 96 ð¿+52 ð¿ 2 = 74 ð¿ 69 L x 3 = 207 L = 14.8 L / day 74 L x 3 = 222 L = 15.9L/day.

Yearly Water Consumption: Daily Water Use Water Use on Campus Water Use at Home

Shower 204.6 L 246.47 L Toilet 32 L 32 L Sink 46 L 46 L Dishwashing 7.69 L 7.69 L Clothes Washer 14.8 L 15.9 L Total 305.09 L 348.06 L

Of the 12 months in a year, about 7 are spent in school, while the other 5 are spent at home. During the school year, I go home most weekends, so my water use varies during the week as well.

Home water footprint: 348.06 ð¿ ð‘‘ð‘Žð‘¦ ð‘¥ 7 ð‘‘ð‘Žð‘¦ð‘ 1 ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’𑘠𑥠4.5 ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’ð‘˜ð‘ 1 ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Ž = 10963.89 ð¿ ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Ž x 5 months = 54819.45 L.

Campus water footprint: 305.09 ð¿ ð‘‘ð‘Žð‘¦ ð‘¥ 7 ð‘‘ð‘Žð‘¦ð‘ 1 ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’𑘠𑥠4.5 ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’ð‘˜ð‘ 1 ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Ž = 9610.335 ð¿ ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Ž x 7 months = 67272.345 L.

Yearly Water Use = 122091.795 L.

2. Carbon Emissions: a) Car – since I started college, my carbon footprint has likely increased since I travel home fairly often. I live in Palm Beach, so although it is not too far, constant trips back and forth significantly increase carbon emissions.

However, I do not have my own car, meaning that my carbon footprint is reduced when I’m not at home. Our family car is a 2003 Toyota Highlander, which gets 27 miles per gallon on the highway, and 22 in the city. ïƒ Palm Beach – 121, 572 miles Miami – 121, 659 miles Back to Palm Beach – 121, 741 miles.

Total mileage in a Palm Beach to Miami roundtrip: 169 miles x miles in one weekend trip home Weekly Car Mileage Location Roundtrip Miles Average Weekly Frequency Total Weekly Miles Miami Publix 2.66 3 7.98 Post Office 5.08 1 5.08 Mall 5.44 1 5.44 Miscellaneous 35...62.

During the school year (7 months), I go home about once every two weeks: 4.5 ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’ð‘˜ð‘ 1 ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Ž = ð‘¥ ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’ð‘˜ð‘ 7 ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Žð‘ ïƒ x = 31.5 weeks, about half of which I go to Palm Beach 391.62 miles/ week for 15.75 weeks = 6168.015 miles.

In the 5 months at home, the trips to and from Miami are excluded from the above calculation, so the weekly mileage is as follows: 4.5 ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’ð‘˜ð‘ 1 ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Ž = ð‘¥ ð‘¤ð‘’ð‘’ð‘˜ð‘ 5 ð‘šð‘œð‘›ð‘¡â„Žð‘ ïƒ x = 22.5 weeks 391. = 53.62 miles/week x 22.5 weeks = 1206.45 miles.

Yearly Car Mileage: 6168.015 + 1206.45 = 7374.465 miles/ year, which converts to 11868.05 km.

b) Flights – my family and I travel to Puerto Rico at least once per year. 1,040 miles from Ft. Lauderdale to San Juan ïƒ 2080 miles roundtrip ïƒ 3347.44 km.

c) Home Energy Usage: According to Florida Power and Light, the average daily consumption of energy in my family’s household is 21 kWh. My family consists of three people, including myself, so: 21 kWh = 7 kWh per day x 365 = 2555 kWh consumed yearly.

Using an online carbon emissions (RADsite) calculator, I determined the following: Category Yearly Energy Consumption Metric Tons of CO2 emissions Car 11868.05 km 2.27 metric tons House 2555 kWh 1.37 metric tons Flights 3347.44 km 0.28 metric tons Total ïƒ 3.93 metric tons per year.

3. Plastic Use: Over the course of two weeks, I photo-documented my plastic consumption: Week 1: 10.6 ounces Week 2: 8.27 ounces 10.6 + 8.27 = 9.4 oz./week average x 52 wks/yr = 490.6 ounces of plastic/year.

Here, 0.6 ounces = 13.9 kg ïƒ 1 kg of plastics = 6 kg of CO2 emission (Time for Change, ð‘˜ð‘” ð¶ð‘‚2 1 ð‘˜ð‘” ð‘ð‘™ð‘Žð‘ ð‘¡ð‘–ð‘.

Thus, 490.6 ounces of plastic/year corresponds to an estimated emission of 83.4 kg CO2 emission.

The U.S. national average for water consumption is about 100 gallons (or 378.5 L) per person per day, adding up to about 138,152.5 liters (EPA, 2014). While my water usage calculations were 16,060.75 liters below the national average, water consumption is undoubtedly the area of the analyzed footprint in which I need to cut back.

I realize that water is a precious and globally scarce resource, but I had not previously noticed or thought about the extraordinary amounts that I consume yearly. Most water in a household is consumed in the bathroom, and my lengthy showers are evidently a testament to this fact.

After monitoring my water use, I realize that low-flow fixtures, particularly a showerhead in my case, would be a wise investment. Similarly, purchasing Energy Star appliances would reduce my carbon emissions and fossil fuel use, though it is already well below the national average.

My carbon footprint is 3.93 metric tons of CO2 per year, while the national average is 20.40 (RADsite). Globally, however, the average footprint is 4 metric tons. If I had my own car, my footprint might be bigger; nonetheless, the majority of my carbon emissions are from car trips back and forth to Miami.

These could also be scaled back significantly with the use of public transportation, such as the Tri-Rail, which I currently do not make much use of. Overall, tracking my actions and their environmental impact has greatly increased my awareness to the responsibilities I have as a future environmentalist and global citizen.

I have come to appreciate that there is much more I could be doing to reduce my strain on the Earth’s resources, particularly when faced with the large numbers of the yearly calculations.

Paper For Above Instructions

The examination of one's environmental footprint provides essential insights into how personal habits impact the planet. Water consumption, carbon emissions, and plastic usage can severely affect our environment. This paper delves into these three areas based on an individual assessment of their resource consumption.

The analysis begins with water consumption, a critical area due to its scarcity and essential role in human life. Household water use occurs mainly in bathrooms, emphasizing the need for efficiency in this area. My shower, which consumes 2.5 gallons per minute, was assessed for its contribution to overall household water usage. Regularly taking showers can lead to substantial water waste; hence, the amount used per shower was calculated using both actual shower times and an examination of water flow for heating water. The findings revealed additional water wasted while waiting for the shower to heat up. By examining the averages, I identified ways to reduce my water footprint, suggesting the adoption of low-flow showerheads aligned with recommendations from experts (Wright, 2014).

Moving to the issue of carbon emissions, which pose a significant challenge in the context of global climate change, my carbon footprint was measured at 3.93 metric tons. This figure is striking when compared to the U.S. average of 20.40 metric tons (RADsite). Understanding the contributions to my footprint, including vehicle travel to and from my college and energy consumption at home, is essential for developing strategies to mitigate emissions. Without my own vehicle, I enjoy a reduced carbon footprint; instead, I calculated the emissions based on my family's vehicle and flights. The sources of my emissions, including household energy consumption, were examined via an online carbon calculator, pinpointing their contributions and areas for improvement.

Plastic use, identified as another critical aspect of my ecological footprint, also warrants discussion. Over the two-week assessment period, I recorded an average of 9.4 ounces of plastic waste per week, leading to significant yearly totals. This figure is sobering when contextualized within global plastic pollution issues. Research indicates that 1 kg of plastics generates approximately 6 kg of CO2 emissions; thus, the calculated plastic waste contributes substantially to overall greenhouse gas emissions (Time for Change, 2009). Educating myself about sustainable packaging and consumer choices will be essential for addressing this aspect of my footprint.

Our consumption patterns have tangible consequences for the environment. The U.S. average for daily water consumption is around 100 gallons (EPA, 2014), underscoring how my personal usage of 16,060.75 liters annually is notably below the national average, yet still requires scrutiny. By actively pursuing efficient techniques and practices to further reduce water consumption, I recognize the potential for meaningful contributions to resource conservation.

Overall, this rigorous examination of my environmental footprint and its components has highlighted the need for a more conscientious approach to resource use. While my water usage and carbon emissions are manageable, ongoing reflection and recalibration of habits can yield better environmental outcomes. A commitment to lower consumption rates—especially in affluent nations—is crucial for global sustainability efforts. By leveraging insights gained from analyzing my footprint, I feel empowered to contribute positively toward resource conservation and environmental stewardship in my community and beyond.

References

• Abt Appliances. (n.d.). Maytag white commercial frontloading washer. Retrieved from [URL]
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2014). Us indoor water use. Retrieved from [URL]
• Florida Power and Light. (2014, November). My energy usage. Retrieved from [URL]
• RADsite. (n.d.). Carbon footprint calculator. Retrieved from [URL]
• Sears. (n.d.). Kenmore top load washing machine. Retrieved from [URL]
• South Florida Water Management District. (2014). Compute your use - water conservation calculator. Retrieved from [URL]
• Time for Change. (2009, April 11). Plastic bags and plastic bottles - CO2 emissions during their lifetime. Retrieved from [URL]
• Wright, J. (2014, October 05). University of Miami launches conservation program. Retrieved from [URL]
• Compute Your Use. (2014). Water conservation calculator. Retrieved from [URL]
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2020). [Title]. Retrieved from [URL]

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