Should San Diego County's GHG Footprint be of Concern?

Students at the University of San Diego conducted a study to determine the Greenhouse Gas Footprint of San Diego County. Any gas in the atmosphere that absorbs infrared radiation from the sun and traps heat in the atmosphere is considered a greenhouse gas (GHG), some of the most common naturally occurring greenhouse gases being that of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane, while other common gases include those of which are produced anthropogenically (by way of humans), including nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, along with carbon dioxide and methane. When analyzing the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions produced by an operation, a population, or in this case a specific region, the measurement is referred to as the carbon 'footprint,' and furthermore is calculated as the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), assisting in determining the global warming potential (GWP) a given type and amount of greenhouse gas might cause. 

The study conducted at USD analyzed the emissions of GHG's in San Diego County over a time span of 22 years, focusing on the early date of 1990, along with data from more recent years, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Sources of emissions analyzed included electricity usage, natural gas, off-road equipment & vehicles, industrial emissions, wastewater & landfills, agriculture, and aviation, rail, & boating. While data was relatively scattered, it was found that the general trend of GHG emissions in San Diego County appears to be on the decline. It was gathered that in 1990, the carbon footprint of San Diego County was 22.87 CO2e, while just last year, in 2011, the footprint was gathered to be 11.36 CO2e. Nearly a 50% decrease. Although 2008 data indicated a bit of an increase in the footprint (27.66 CO2e), the footprint appears to have dropped significantly in just the past three years alone. In general, the sources of emissions were highest in the electricity sector, producing over half of the counties emissions each year, followed by the transportation sector. 

Being aware of the carbon footprint of San Diego County, along with footprints of all counties, states, and nations cohesively, is important, particularly the acknowledgement of the sources of the greenhouse gases. Fortunately,  the carbon footprint of San Diego County is on the decline, which may or may not be linked to the increased awareness of the population to the hazards associated with having a high carbon footprint. While the prevention of natural greenhouse gases is out of our control, we are, however, capable of controlling the quantities of anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted into our environment. Studies of new findings are published on a daily basis, informing people of the various ways in which they can assist in the goal to minimize anthropogenic emissions, and hopefully contribute to the declining trend of the carbon footprint of the county in which they reside.

Watch an informative video on how to reduce your carbon footprint.