It’s About Your Emissions, Not Your Footprint

Climate and the Serenity Prayer

There is an old prayer that goes like this:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

The climate debate could benefit from the serenity prayer.

“Carbon footprint” is the living definition of what you cannot change. That’s because the carbon footprint of a thing — a shirt, a steak, a hammer — is not about what the thing itself produces in carbon, nor is it about carbon produced when you use it. Shirts, steaks, and hammers emit zero carbon. This is true for most things.

Carbon footprint, on the other hand, suggests that if you use, obtain, or consume one of these non-emitting items, you are responsible for all the carbon emitted in the process of creating it — as if you had any control over that. Further, the idea implies that if you boycott the purchase of these things, you are having a real impact on carbon emissions. In fact, you are not. Whether you buy a shirt, eat a steak, or hammer a nail, the producers keep producing, the shippers keep shipping, and the stores keep their lights and heat on. The amount of impact you have by not buying it? Exactly zero.

Maybe God will grant us the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.

Yes, I know: “If everyone did it we could eliminate the carbon!” If there is no market, producers will stop producing. But I don’t see many people lining up to never wear shirts, stop eating beef, or pound nails with their hands. The impact is significant only if everyone does it, and they aren’t going to do it. This is where the wisdom to know the difference comes in. Again, we need the serenity to accept that there are some things we cannot change — especially the choices and decisions of other people.

Carbon footprint is irrelevant, but your emissions are not. This is where we need the courage to change the things we can.

Where are your emissions? Pretty simple — in your chimney, in your tailpipe, and in the electricity you use in your home. They come from engines you use, including boats, ATVs, lawnmowers, and other outdoor power tools. They come from your furnace, your stove, and your oven. They are all in your direct control. Different tools, appliances, and vehicles are your choice and make all the difference.

How can you reduce your emissions? Start small. Replace your small gas engines in lawnmowers, blowers, chainsaws, and trimmers with cordless electric versions of the same tools. They will be quieter, more enjoyable to use, don’t need oil changes, and there’s no gasoline to run out for winter storage. In fact, you will never have to buy gas for them again.

Want to go bigger? Add an incremental investment to get an EV or plug-in hybrid EV for your next car and enjoy the savings you get from a huge reduction in your gas bill. A straight EV can easily have a 30% ROI on the incremental investment, and that’s not counting the federal tax incentives.

Other options? Electric dryers, electric water heaters, and electric snowblowers. The more electric you are, the more your impact is reduced as the electric companies become more renewable, which they are all doing. Renewables are slowly replacing fossil fuel power plants.

Another option: Rooftop solar, which delivers a 12–18% return for most people and gives you independence — or free fuel for your EV truck.

Here’s the point: If you are worried about climate, address your direct contribution first. Switch to electric tools, appliances, and vehicles. Then, use them less. And as possible, power them with renewable energy. These are the things we can change, and as the prayer says, we need the courage to do that.

Anthony Signorelli

To learn more about how you can save money, save time, and live a better, more abundant life while reducing emissions, get my free newsletter The Climate Abundant Life.