Check Out Your ‘Nitrogen Footprint’

Researchers at Oxford University in collaboration with scientists at Lancaster and Virginia universities have created a new web based tool that allows you to calculate your ‘Nitrogen footprint’. The new application has been given the name N-Calculator and can be used to measure an individuals impact on the environment in terms of Nitrogen pollution.
Nitrogen pollution is an increasingly important environmental concern across the world. Nitrogen is a harmless element and is essential for life in small quanitities. It occurs naturally in the environment however increases in Nitrogen levels can be caused by human activity. Too much Nitrogen in the environment can result in a significant loss in biodiversity and damage to river systems.
‘Unlike your carbon footprint, what you eat is the most important factor determining your nitrogen footprint,’ said Dr. Carly Stevens of Lancaster University. ‘By altering the amount and type of food that you eat, you can make a big difference to your impact on the environment. The difference in nitrogen levels occurs because of the amount of nitrogen that is lost during the food processing cycles.’