Carbonle #17 — June 17, 2026

Today: the stuff you buy

The order that day, lightest footprint to heaviest.

• 1📦A paper bagHeavier to make than a plastic one. 'Paper good, plastic bad' was never that simple.0.06 kg CO₂e
• 2👜A cotton tote bagCotton is thirsty and land-hungry. You'd need ~150 uses to beat a plastic bag.3.5 kg CO₂e
• 3👟Running shoesOne pair of trainers, and almost all of it is the factory, not the road.14 kg CO₂e
• 4📱A smartphoneMaking one phone outweighs years of charging it. The factory is the footprint.60 kg CO₂e
• 5💻A laptopMost of a laptop's footprint is decided in the factory. It outweighs a bicycle to build.220 kg CO₂e

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