Emissions. Greenhouse gases. Decarbonization. You may have heard these terms in the news lately, but what do they actually mean? What are emissions, and where do they come from? Is decarbonization a good thing and, if so, how do we achieve it? In this episode, we’re joined by Carbon Calories founder Alexander Frantzen and journalist Sarah Lazarovic to answer these questions and more. We unpack the surprising history behind the phrase “carbon footprint.” We’ll discuss the ways that we can better understand our own carbon footprint, and work to reduce it—and why putting pressure as consumers on large corporations may matter just as much as individual actions.

Featuring:

Alexander Frantzen | Carbon Calories | CEO & Founder 
Sarah Lazarovic | Minimum Viable Planet | Journalist, Climate Communicator
Patrick Nease | Meta | Climate
Sylvia Lee | Meta | Climate
Lauren Swezey | Meta | FCS Sustainability
Kati Kallins | Meta | Sustainability Engagement

Show Notes:

You can view the Carbon Statements prepared by Carbon Calories on their website. For more of Alexander Frantzen’s work on other carbon accounting projects (such as Energy We Need and WikiCarbon), check out his personal website. 

You can sign up for Minimum Viable Planet, and view more of Sarah Lazarovic’s work, on her website. You can also find her comics on instagram at @sarahlazarovic. 

In 2018 the IPCC (​​the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) published a special report, which detailed the impacts of 1.5℃ global warming above pre-industrial levels, and outlined paths to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. More recently, in 2021, the first part of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment was released. The report provided new estimates of the chances of crossing the global warming level of 1.5°C in the next decades, and found that immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are required to limit warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C.

To find out more about Meta’s Sustainability initiatives, visit sustainability.fb.com.

Credits:

This show is produced by work by work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Emily Shaw, Kathleen Ottinger and by Sophia Li. The show is mixed by Sam Bair.