# What is the environmental impact for one person over their lifetime (on average)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-environmental-impact-for-one-person-over-their-lifetime-on-average/743665>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 20, 2016, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-environmental-impact-for-one-person-over-their-lifetime-on-average/743665 "2016-01-20T07:45:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scairns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Scairns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scairns)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-environmental-impact-for-one-person-over-their-lifetime-on-average/743665/1 "2016-01-20T07:45:39Z")

</div>

I was just wondering, what is the environmental impact of one person (in the USA) over their lifetime? For example: how many trees are cut down, gallons of water used, how much CO2 emitted, etc.

Are there any statistics available?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-environmental-impact-for-one-person-over-their-lifetime-on-average/743665/2 "2016-01-20T07:53:09Z")

</div>

You can take a carbon footprint test like the EPA’s:

> **[Household Carbon Footprint Calculator](https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/)**
>
> An interactive calculator to estimate your household's carbon footprint. This tool will estimate carbon pollution emissions from your daily activities and show how to reduce your emissions and save money through simple steps.

And times it by your expected lifespan.

It varies a lot from person to person depending on their living habits, but their assumptions page lists their sources and calculations:  
[http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/ind-assumptions.html](http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/ind-assumptions.html)

If you don’t like the EPA, many non-profits make their own versions.

If you prefer a report on averages, try something like this:

> **[Conservation](https://www.treehugger.com/conservation-4846077)**
>
> Learn about the advances and setbacks around protecting our oceans, waterways, forests, and wildlife.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-environmental-impact-for-one-person-over-their-lifetime-on-average/743665/3 "2016-01-20T10:50:37Z")

</div>

Trees and water don’t necessarily matter because trees can regrow and water can re-rain.

Average person exhales about 900 grams ( ~ 2 pounds) of carbon dioxide per day. Of course that pales relative to the amount generated as a result of transportation, heating, building the house you live in and making/transporting/powering all your stuff and growing/transporting your food.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-environmental-impact-for-one-person-over-their-lifetime-on-average/743665/4 "2016-01-20T16:00:06Z")

</div>

> [@iljitsch](#):
>
> Trees and water don’t necessarily matter because trees can regrow and water can re-rain.
> 
> Average person exhales about 900 grams ( ~ 2 pounds) of carbon dioxide per day. Of course that pales relative to the amount generated as a result of transportation, heating, building the house you live in and making/transporting/powering all your stuff and growing/transporting your food.

Our breath does not contribute to increases in atmospheric CO2. Vegetables sequester CO2, we eat them, then we release the CO2 back into the atmosphere for other plants to absorb. It’s just moving CO2 around, not increasing it. Fossil fuels come from vegetation that was sequestered for millions of years. That’s what increases atmospheric CO2. In effect, by using fossil fuels, we’re returning CO2 concentration back to what it was in the Carboniferous era.