How big oil shift global focus on CO2 emission from fossil fuel producers to Jane and John Public
by Marco Lopez
The carbon footprint of a homeless person in the United States is on average 8.5 tons of CO2 per year, a 2008 study from a research class at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found. This individual would live in homeless shelters, eat at soup kitchens, and still emit on average two times the amount of CO2 than another person living across the globe.
Narratives are more critical than ever in the climate conversation – taking a double take on the carbon footprint narrative we find its origins based on sophisticated marketing tactics from big oil. Geared toward shifting the focus from its mass production and distribution of fossil fuel to the everyday activities of people.
So today, the reduction of your personal carbon footprint has become a significant part of climate change conservation. It’s a thing! Platforms and people adapting the rhetoric first pushed by oil companies like Beyond Petroleum (BP) – formerly British Petroleum.
BP’s first carbon footprint calculator
In 2004, then British Petroleum (BP) launched a marketing campaign that eventually led to the term, “carbon footprint” becoming a household phrase. They created one of the first carbon footprint calculators so people can determine how their daily activities are driving global warming.
In essence, the marketing campaign was purposed strategically to manipulate the thinking of the masses on the greatest environmental threat facing mankind, by undermining action against the reduction of fossil fuel production by big oil and shifting the focus on the everyday consumer culture forced upon societies across the world.
The company on the other hand, while rebranded to suggest the shifting of energy generation “beyond petroleum”, still depends largely on oil and natural gas as its baseline. An article recently released by the Guardian states that the “FTSE 100 company has earmarked up to $7.5bn (£6.2bn) for oil and gas projects, compared with a range of $3bn to $5bn for green energy.”
The company insists on using terms like “low-carbon” in its communication, suggesting its unwillingness to ultimately cut fossil fuel production as a part of its operation.
In an op-ed article published by the New York Times, John Kennedy, a former member of the advertising team working on BP’s portfolio said, “Think of it. Going beyond petroleum. The best and brightest, at a company that can provide practically unlimited resources, trying to find newer, smarter, cleaner ways of powering the world. Only they didn’t go beyond petroleum. They are petroleum. The problem there is that “Are petroleum” just isn’t a great tagline.”
So what is your carbon footprint and does it matter?
Put simply, a carbon footprint refers to the amount of greenhouse gas generated by a person’s actions. And yes, it does matter. Changing our behaviors is important to reduce the amount of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions across the globe, but this change must be facilitated by a shift in global culture away from fossil fuel dependency, making it easier to change, per se. At this juncture, carbon footprints need to be redefined in order to separate the reality of action needed, from the propaganda forwarded by big oil companies like BP.
Activities such as travel in vehicles and airplanes – and whether you use diesel or gasoline – to your shopping habits, account for the amount of CO2 emitted by an individual, carbon footprint calculators suggest. A significant consideration to the amount of energy used in households: electricity, natural gas, and fuels also play an important part in the figure. And of course, the amount of food we consume (and waste) on average adds to our carbon footprint.
A fossil fuel-dependent world
But how much would cutting our carbon footprint in a world dependent on fossil fuels impact the bottom line of carbon emissions globally? The MIT study referred to above suggests very little, since even the poorest among us living with on the bare minimum, still generate a significant amount of CO2.
According to The Nature Conservancy, the average carbon footprint of a person from the United States is 16 tons. “Globally, the average carbon footprint is closer to 4 tons. To have the best chance of avoiding a 2℃ rise in global temperatures, the average global carbon footprint per year needs to drop to under 2 tons by 2050.” TNC suggest.
What they fail to mention on their web link, which houses a carbon footprint calculator, is that for individuals to be able able to achieve this, significant change in the social infrastructure and how we consume and use products and services must facilitate that change in culture needed to reduce carbon footprints. This means increased technology which facilitates a shift from dependence on fossil fuels usage across our world. An uphill climb. But we’ll hopefully get there.
Carbon footprint redefined
Today, companies and individuals alike are able to “offset” their carbon emissions by purchasing “carbon credits”. Surely, a topic for a next day. But redefining carbon footprints to include how much action we take to lobby agasint fossil fuel usage will be important. To redefine our relationship with the companies that provide the products and services we use every day, and demand their usage of sustainable solutions. Importantly, to speak as much as we can about this issue with each other, within our communities, and elect political leaders that encourage green solutions and the phasing out of fossil fuels across societies.
