In 2008, when British supermarket chain Tesco began disclosing the carbon footprint of some of its goods, more than half of surveyed customers said the information could change their purchasing habits. Since then, desire for greater transparency in product labelling has grown. Last July, Walmart announced it would institute green ratings for every product on its shelves; Dole now discloses which producers supply its organic bananas; and in New Zealand, clothing brand Icebreaker includes a "baacode" on its garments that allows owners to trace the origin of the wool. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a project called SourceMap.org is attempting to provide a database of supplier information for consumers. Here's what MIT researchers say the CO2 footprint might look like for a bed.
PU flexible foam
China
0.43 kg CO 2 e
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High-density fibreboard
China
30 kg CO 2 e (carbon dioxide equivalent)
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Hydraulics
Germany
4.02 kg CO 2 e
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Cotton fabric
Africa
3.54 kg CO 2 e
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Epoxy resin
China
0.8 kg CO 2 e
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Particleboard
China
37.65 kg CO 2 e
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Galvanized steel
Russia
39.84 kg CO 2 e
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Plywood
Poland
130.28 kg CO 2 e
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Pine
Russia
0.86 CO 2 e
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Weight 50.5 kg
Distance travelled 32,664 km
Footprint before transport 246.69 kg CO2e
Transport 0.73kg CO2e
Total footprint 247.42 kg CO2e
Weight 50.5 kg
Distance travelled 32,664 km
Footprint before transport 246.69 kg CO2e
Transport 0.73kg CO2e
Total footprint 247.42 kg CO2e
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Compare with
Walkers crisps 0.08 kg CO 2 e
Timberland Classic boot
55 kg CO 2 e
Return flight from Toronto to NYC
400 kg CO 2 e
Patagonia Rain Shadow jacket 14.5 kg CO 2 e
Tesco Pure Orange Juice
0.96 kg CO 2 e