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Wynnie Chan

This week Jordan Carey, 14
Jordan asks: Can I reduce my carbon footprint by changing my diet?
Wynnie says:  A 'carbon footprint'  is the  effect your actions and lifestyle  have on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions.
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas.  It's produced when fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas are burned for energy.
Global warming  is the result of a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.   Vehicles, electrical devices in the home, your diet and clothes  all affect your carbon footprint.
So, what can you do to reduce your carbon footprint?
Professor Georgia Guldan, of the department of food and nutritional sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says: 'Everything we do affects our carbon footprint, especially eating, which we  do several times  a day.
'However, you can adjust your eating habits to protect our planet's health every day by:
Choosing less packaged foods, especially fruits and vegetables. But when you do get some packaging, recycle as much of it as you can.
If your school orders lunchboxes, ask your school lunch committee to order from a supplier that uses recyclable (and healthy) lunchboxes only.
When you eat out, including for  school lunch, have your own chopsticks or eating utensils.
Eat less meat  and more vegetables, fruits and grains. Not only will you have a more balanced diet, but meat requires lots of grain for the animals to eat ... rather than being  eaten directly  by  people.  What's more, farm animals  produce 18 per cent of our greenhouse gases.'
The Asian Food Information Centre offers additional tips:
Only boil as much water as you need.
Recycle. It's estimated that  city dwellers can save more than one tonne of carbon dioxide per year by recycling half of their household waste.
Walk more. Don't  use transport for short trips.
Buy seasonal fruits and vegetables to cut down on transportation costs.
When cooking, make sure the pan fits the size of the ring. If the pan is too small,  energy is wasted.
Use your own shopping bags.
Turn off the TV.
To help offset  carbon dioxide emissions, plant  trees.
To calculate your own carbon footprint log on to www.carbonfootprint.com or www.myfootprint.org
Jordan's diary
Breakfast: Pancakes or waffles with maple syrup, orange juice
Lunch: Pasta with meat sauce, orange juice
Dinner: Rice with chicken and vegetables, water
Snacks: Crisps or a chocolate bar
Exercise: Football once a week, swimming twice a week



Can I make my diet environmentally friendly?