“Racism brought us the climate crisis, and it will take transformative anti-racism to solve it.” -Eric Holthaus, “Why climate change is a civil rights battle”

I’ve gone back and forth for weeks on whether or not I should write this post, so let’s start by discussing the problem around the framing of “carbon footprints.”

While the idea of a carbon footprint has been around for a while in ecological study, the term really gained popularity in 2003, when the oil company British Petroleum (BP) used it as part of an advertising campaign to appear more environmentally friendly [1]. The idea of a carbon footprint shoved the responsibility of climate action onto the individual level, rather than on companies responsible for a huge majority of emissions. For reference, while estimates of standard American emissions vary, going by the Environmental Protection Agency’s assumptions the total CO2 generated via electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, propane, and waste disposal for a “typical” American household is about 10-15 metric tons per year [2]. In comparison, it is estimated that BP’s emissions for 2024 were about 322 million metric tons, or the equivalent of nearly 30 million typical American households [3].

It’s not merely big corporations that are at fault, either. Many celebrities, with private jets and yachts, produce massive amounts of CO2. In 2024, Donald Trump emitted nearly 28,000 metric tons solely through private jet travel [4] while the Walton family emitted 18,000 metric tons of CO2 through their superyacht [5].

All this makes it feel hopeless to make change when looking at typical individuals, emitting fractions of celebrities and corporations. This is why, like I wrote about last week, we need to band together. Our focus needs to be on two main thrusts: greater regulation on emissions allowed by corporations and private travel, and collectively reducing our consumption in the meantime to give the wheels of bureaucracy time to turn. Gather your neighbors and discuss — is there something in your vicinity that is an obvious problem and can be changed? An example: if your school district has a bus system, could you fundraise and find grants to replace at least one bus with an electric option? Petition, call your representatives, speak at town halls, and push for high-level change in your area. For the second thrust, look around closer, to your own neighborhood. Many green options, such as installing solar panels or buying an electric car, are expensive and out of reach for many. However, there are plenty of cheap methods of reducing emissions, as well. Is there something your whole neighborhood can commit to doing that will make incremental change? One household improving their weather stripping will make a difference; 20 households will make a much larger difference. If you live in an apartment, see if you can get several tenants together to pressure your landlord into making changes throughout the complex.

We can't ignore the need for systemic change, but while we push for that we can be making small, individual changes as well.

References

1. Climate Trade. (2022). The evolution of carbon footprint measurement. Climate Trade.
2. EPA. (2024). Assumptions and References for Household Carbon Footprint Calculator. EPA.
3. Reuters. (2025). BP’s emissions rose in 2024, annual report says. Reuters.
4. Ring, E. (2024). From Drake to Kylie Jener: Here’s who racked up the biggest private jet emissions in 2024. The Tab.
5. Alestig, M. et al. (2024). Carbon Inequality Kills. Oxfam.