5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking

S. · 3 April 2023

The book is arranged in such a way as you can 'dip into' it for just a few minutes and come away with an interesting and considered assessment of the carbon footprint of a range of choices. I've had a long-term interest in sustainability and was familiar with the original book. However, this update includes some interesting and timely new topics. It's well worth a read and is a great source of info for discussing consumer choices with friends and family.

4.0 out of 5 stars Important, readable and just the right amount of humour

M.L. · 3 January 2018

A book that’s mostly a list of things we consume and an accompanying calculation of the carbon footprint could be rather dry, but the authors humour ensures that’s far from the case. A really interesting way to gain a greater understanding about our individual carbon footprint, and enough optimism to leave the reader feeling that by changing their own behaviour/consumption habits we can all be leaders in a carbon-reducing future.Or perhaps that’s just confirmation bias in action, as before reading this I held the belief that as consumers we have the power to change the behaviour of big business by changing how we act. A positive of capitalism perhaps, if only we get off our overly comfortable arses and make the changes necessary.I found particularly striking in the introduction the attempt to link emissions to reality (admittedly not using an accurate calculation but a rough one to make a point). The point being, that if we assume a climate-related death occurs for every 150 tonnes CO2E emitted “would mean the that if your lifestyle had the footprint of the average UK citizen, one person would have to die from climate change in the world every ten years.” If that’s not a reason to reduce your carbon footprint, what is?

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and informative read

A.P. · 25 March 2013

This is my favourite book on carbon footprint.It is refreshing to find a book about carbon footprint that's also an enjoyable read. Unlike most books on carbon footprint, that I plough through for my research, 'How Bad Are Bananas' was hugely entertaining in a page turning way. I read the book from cover to cover in a weekend and couldn't put it down, thanks to the engaging style of writing, humour and clarity of presentation.I have used the book over and over again for my research, and in my workshops for schools. The book gives a good sense of magnitude of carbon footprint and there are a few surprises (no plot spoilers in this review!) Whether or not low-carbon living is important to you, this book is well worth the read. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, this book can and will help.

5.0 out of 5 stars A really excellent baseline of knowledge for those with an interest in the envirement.

B. · 27 December 2023

simple and educational.An excellent message delivered simply. We need to know the approximate carbon cost of everyhting in the same way we have an idea of the monetry value of things, in order to inform ourselves of the way forward. great value informative must read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Our carbon footprint explained

P. · 22 March 2022

Our carbon footprint explained as researched by a genuine expert who appears to live in the real world. The narrative is non-hectoring, engaging, often humorous and truly helpful. Some revelations are surprising too (check out relative effect of cycling using an ordinary bike vs an e-bike). Mike Berners-Lee's book is more likely to have a positive effect on your personal carbon footprint than the usual eco-warrior approach of super-gluing themselves to the bonnet of your Ferrari!

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating

K.C. · 8 September 2020

Really interesting read, some amazing facts that really open your eyes and Help you develop an understanding of the carbon problem. Whilst I won't be going vegan, and it's not advocated, I'll certainly take a look at my lifestyle to see where we can make our contribution to reducing our carbon footprint.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book to get a feel for my (your) carbon footprint

G. · 24 April 2021

Everything we do is likely to result in some sort of carbon footprint. This book enables someone to work out what theirs is. From that it is possible to do something to reduce ones impact. If like me you live in Europe, then be prepared to find out that it is far too high and that there is more to be done.One niggle, E-bikes are great but there is an incorrect assumption about the extra food required if someone cycles a short distance. The correct figure for additional food is zero, this is because the body adapts and uses less energy elsewhere. So a standard bike produces less carbon per mile for short trips. Long trips are different, but don't trust the enormous calorie calculations from a cycle computer.

3.0 out of 5 stars Light Reading a little more Inspiration Needed.

W. · 3 June 2019

I found some sections of this book quite enlightening and others rather foggy, and certainly not very constructive. Perhaps the weirdest sections were those on renewable energy which focused on the poor value for money given by feed in tariffs. Well that may be true, but if we cross off these as options for powering this country then what are the alternatives?The section on "green" electricity tariffs was a bit of an eye opener, as apparently they are not green at all . . . . but there was no comparative analysis done, or any instruction given on what an alternative might be.Although light-hearted and certainly digestible, the book fails to leave the reader with a sense of direction upon completion. The book is now 10 years old, and could do with a revision.

Ottimo libro

A.L. · 3 September 2025

Libro interessantissimo. Elenca il carbon footprint di ogni azione ed elemento. Consigliatissimo, soprattutto considerando l'epoca in cui viviamo

Carbon footprint for the citizen

O. · 29 April 2018

This book is a kind of dictionary of every day stuffs and services, whose contents is not definitions but an analysis of their life cycle, and more specifically an analysis of their CO2 impact. I know this book has been criticized for its lack of precision, guestimations says the book, but I think this only reflects the great difficulty of the subject. Indeed the economic actors of our societies are not always open to be transparent on their processes. What is great in this book is not to know the exact carbon footprint of a banana, but to discover its life cycle, and to derive general laws. Now that this book is about 10 years old, it would be even greater to have an updated version, to know if anything changed, even in terms of precision. And even better to have an enlarged one who could present life cycle analysis for other impacts than carbon footprint: say, water and minerals depletion, air pollution and so on. Anyway I recommend it for any citizen, just because it helps thinking.

Inspiration pur

T. · 8 January 2022

Das Bucht hat mir neue Denkanstöße gegeben und auch denen an die ich es ausgeliehen habe

Thoroughly Enjoyable and Entertaining

K. · 21 February 2013

A great book - content, concept and style. Creates some very thoughful structures for thinking about the challenges of impact and footprint that is valauble way beyond the carbon realm too. Works for a straight through read or, as I did, to dip in and out. Presents a serious subject in an entertaining, frank and mildly self depracating style. I can see why it carries a testimonial from Bill Bryson ! @kevinimoss

Not what I expected, but very thought-provoking nonetheless

e. · 6 July 2017

Excellent breakdown of the carbon footprints of various goods and services. I don't agree with the way Mr. Berners-Lee calculates everything, but he has definitely put together a thought-provoking book. For those interested in buying, be aware that this is more of a quick reference guide than a book. It is broken down by good/service, with a few paragraphs describing the relative carbon footprint.