The Invisible Trail You Leave

Every time you drive a car, eat a steak, or stream a video, you release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Your carbon footprint is the total amount of these emissions — measured in tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. The average American generates about 16 tonnes annually, while the global average sits around 4 tonnes.

The concept gained mainstream traction when BP ran a massive ad campaign in the early 2000s, encouraging people to calculate their "personal carbon footprint." Critics point out this was a deliberate strategy to shift blame from fossil fuel companies to individuals.