I used the International Student Carbon Footprint Challenge to calculate my carbon footprint.

It is no surprise that my total footprint is way higher than that of an average person in the Philippines, my country. Also, considering that this is my estimated total footprint while in quarantine, I cannot imagine how significantly higher my it must be when I was still able to go out and live like I used to. I already expected it to e this high, but that certainly does not mean that I should keep this lifestyle up. 

My carbon footprint at home was the highest of the bunch. We are a family of 4, and it is a rare moment for us to all be under this roof together. I can admit that this house contains too many rooms for us. We have lights all over that are usually turned on ever during the day because there is not much natural sunlight that can get into our house. Also, my room has an air conditioner that I admit to be using more often than I should. Heat is something my family is not the most fond of. On the other hand, my family uses very minimal appliances. Our fridge, the chest freezer we use for business, and the air conditioners are all inverters, meaning, they consume much less electricity. We hand wash our clothes and dishes, and we try to do everything manually because that is what we got used to doing.

For food, my dad cooks a lot of meat for us, and he cooks it whenever he can. Also, healthier food options are not the most accessible for us in terms of money. Processed foods are much cheaper and reasonable for us to buy because all of us do not have much time in the day to allot for cooking a meal. I personally try to eat less and healthier when I can.

I am not much of a shopper, my purchases are very minimal, because money is something we value, especially that I still have many years to study for. We only buy things that we need, and we are very particular when it comes to that. We value quality more so it could last long and we would not have to purchase new stuff every now and then.

I used to like going out with friends, but now that I couldn't, my carbon footprint from transportation has become lower. But even when there was no lockdown, I always used public transportation or rode my bike. I also only had to walk to and from school. We don't own a car (yet) as well.

As someone who is deeply concerned about the environment, I feel guilty seeing how much my carbon footprint is. Transitioning to healthy habits is a goal that I have been wanting and trying to reach for a while now, but it is not easy. Calculating my footprint and seeing the results is definitely an eye-opener and source of motivation for me to be better.

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