I read this book several years ago, and just reread it to refresh my memory. Analyzing about 90 objects or choices we make for their impact on the climate, the author applies rigorous scientific principles to come up with many starling conclusions. He is careful to note the many areas of uncertainty and the frequent assumptions of climate scientists.
The basic unit that is used in all of the calculations is the carbon dioxide equivalent, a measure that takes into account the effect of other emissions such as methane, nitrous oxide and hydrofluorocarbons. He aims to show how what we do daily can affect the goal of achieving an average of ten tons per year of CO2 emissions per person per year, the ‘ten ton lifestyle.’
Some of the choices of objects to study are of little general interest and not readily modifiable.
Others carefully analyzed lead to counterintuitive conclusions, and the comparison of different actions with similar effects is sometime ingenious. e.g an 18 mile intercity train ride has the same effect on the environment as eating a cheeseburger.
A high pressure unheated air hand drier is better than a paper towel.
Using a cheeseburger to fuel a bicycle ride is no better than two people using an average car to make the same trip.
Disposable diapers are more eco-friendly than reusables.
The use of paper bags for produce is likely to be worse for the environment than using plastic ones.
Plastic grocery bags contribute far less than 1% of the environmental adverse effects of the groceries in them.
Belching ruminants (mainly cattle and sheep) contribute huge amounts of methane, and raising them is also very harmful to the environment because of deforestation to grow them and their inherent poor food conversion.
Moving produce by air is 100 times worse than by sea from a climate viewpoint.
Rice production is associated with high CO2 production.
Mackerel seems to be the least harmful seafood in terms of CO2 production associated with its production and processing to market.
Cremation may be worse than simple burial in a wicker coffin, but burial at sea is the best exit from an environmental viewpoint.
The decision to reproduce has a huge negative impact on the climate, and providing birth-control information and services is good for the environment.
The limited environmental benefits of use of hybrid and all-electric vehicles is discussed but was not as surprising to me as many of his other conclusions.
The writing is a bit arcane at times but the analysis is broken into short essay-like segments making it easy to skip over things that don’t interest you. My favourite quote -on the environmental impact of spending a dollar- “We could do with less charging around earning as much as we can to buy things we don’t really need.”
So how bad are bananas? Not bad at all, and far better than hothouse tomatoes. And about five times as good as producing a single red rose.
The Passionate Reader 