What is the main message of How Bad Are Bananas??

The main message of How Bad Are Bananas? is to understand and reduce the carbon footprint of everyday activities.

Who is the author of How Bad Are Bananas??

Mike Berners-Lee is the author of How Bad Are Bananas?.

Nature & the Environment

How Bad Are Bananas? Book Summary - How Bad Are Bananas? Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

How Bad Are Bananas? summary

Name: How Bad Are Bananas?
Rating: 4.2 (286 reviews)
Author: Mike Berners-Lee

Mike Berners-Lee

The Carbon Footprint of Everything

4.2 (286 ratings)

26 mins

Brief summary

How Bad Are Bananas? by Mike Berners-Lee is a guide to carbon footprinting, exploring the impact of everyday actions and suggesting changes we can make for a more sustainable future.

Topics

Sustainability Climate Change Diet

Table of Contents

How Bad Are Bananas?
Summary of 9 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 9

What’s in it for me? Learn all the life hacks that can shrink your carbon footprint overnight.

It’s hard to miss the news about climate change. Every day there seems to be a new story about melting polar ice, floods, endangered species and how we should expect more hurricanes and extreme weather. It’s up to us, as the citizens of Earth, to push our leaders into action and do our own part to reduce the harmful emissions that are ruining our planet.

We all have our routines, and it’s easy to think that these daily habits of shopping, cooking and washing up are harmless. But just think of how much food you throw away over the course of a year, or how many appliances you leave turned on or plugged in when they don’t really need to be.

In these blinks, you’ll discover the biggest culprits for creating harmful emissions and the tricks to reducing your own footprint without completely rearranging your life. Keep in mind that the estimates that follow are from around 2010, and that a lot has likely changed since then.

In these blinks, you’ll find out

which modes of transport are the most and least environmentally friendly;
which is worse, an orange or a banana; and
which beverages leave the biggest carbon footprint.

A carbon footprint takes into consideration many harmful gases, and the average size varies around the world.

These days, you don’t have to be an environmental scientist to have heard the term carbon footprint. It gets used a lot in discussions about global warming or climate change and refers to the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) that gets released during certain processes, whether by a corporation or just one person.

However, carbon dioxide is but one of many gases that contribute to global warming and a carbon footprint. Such harmful emissions are known as greenhouse gases and some of them are far more damaging than CO₂. Methane (CH₄), for example, is twenty-five times as harmful as CO₂, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) is three hundred times worse. And then there are refrigerant gases, which are used in cooling systems and can be several thousand times more potent than CO₂.

In the United Kingdom, CO₂ accounts for 86 percent of its greenhouse gas output, while methane accounts for 7 percent, nitrous oxide 6 percent and refrigerant gases 1 percent.

Since we know how potent all these other gases are in relation to CO₂, a carbon footprint provides an accurate reading on all the major harmful emissions being released. This conversion method is known as carbon dioxide equivalent, or CO₂e.

The average size of a carbon footprint varies from country to country, but it tends to be bigger in the developed world. In Malawi, for example, the average carbon footprint of a person is around 0.1 metric tons of CO₂e per year. The average person in the United Kingdom, however, measures up at around 15 metric tons per year, while the average North American comes in at around 28, and Australians at 30 metric tons. As for the planet as a whole, in 2007 we produced around 49 billion metric tons of CO₂e.

Being British, the author hopes to help the United Kingdom reduce harmful emissions by a significant yet reasonable amount. Berners-Lee has laid the groundwork for such a reduction through what he calls the 10-tonne lifestyle, which would result in the average person going from 15 to 10 metric tons per year – a one-third reduction of each person’s carbon footprint.

In the blinks that follow, we’ll take a closer look at the steps you can take to adopt this lifestyle.

Text messages and emails are low impact, but these small things can add up quickly.

Over the past few decades, computers, mobile devices and cell phones have changed the way we work and communicate. But you may not be aware of the ways you can use this technology more responsibly.

For example, texting someone instead of making a cell-phone call leaves a smaller footprint since it takes up less energy.

In some ways, plastic is better than paper for the environment.

Most of us would probably guess that paper is better for the environment than plastic, but from the carbon dioxide equivalent standpoint, plastic actually beats paper.

That doesn’t mean plastic is good for the environment. On the contrary, plastic debris can linger in the environment for centuries and harm animals in the process. But as far as CO₂e emissions go, plastic is marginally better since it doesn’t rot and create methane emissions like paper does.

Different ways of traveling have different carbon footprints, with flying being the worst.

It probably won’t come as a surprise to know that the gasoline and diesel fueling our cars and trucks leave a big carbon footprint. To produce just one liter adds around 3.15 kilograms CO₂e to a carbon footprint. And in one year, the United Kingdom alone uses around 50 billion liters of gasoline, so its impact on our global footprint is considerable, to say the least.

But if we look at all the different ways to get around, you might be surprised at which method leaves the biggest footprint.

Local produce and meat from nonruminant animals have lower carbon footprints.

You may have heard that a vegetarian or vegan diet is better for the environment, but, in truth, what you eat is less important than where it comes from.

Local fruit will have a small footprint, but if you’re eating fruit that traveled halfway around the world to get to your supermarket, that fruit comes with a big one.

Your favorite beverages may have bigger carbon footprints than you imagine.

When it comes to thinking about your carbon footprint, you might not give too much thought to your beverage selection. But there’s a considerable difference between some of the options you have, whether it’s the kind of water you drink or whether you order a black coffee or a latte.

For starters, you should be aware that bottled water leaves a much bigger footprint than tap water.

You can clean up in more environmentally conscious ways.

When you leave your home, do you ever wonder: Did I turn the oven off? Or, did I leave the iron on? It makes sense to worry about potential fire hazards, but it also makes sense to question whether you’re needlessly wasting energy. So next time, before you leave, make sure you’ve turned the lights off along with all your other appliances.

You can also reduce your footprint by washing your clothes more efficiently.

Harmful gases can come from nature, but human-made emissions are much more numerous.

There are some folks who believe that the environmental damage caused by humans has been exaggerated, and that the harm we’ve done doesn’t hold a candle to what Mother Nature can do to herself.

One such example in this erroneous line of thinking is volcanoes, which are known to emit greenhouse gases even when they’re not erupting.

Eating in a more environmentally conscious way can greatly reduce your carbon footprint.

So, if you’d really like to start a 10-tonne lifestyle, one of the best ways to start is to look at your diet. Since it accounts for 20 percent of your own footprint, being more considerate about what you eat is the perfect place to start.

The first thing to do is eat less meat and dairy.

Want to see all full key ideas from How Bad Are Bananas??

Key ideas in How Bad Are Bananas?

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is How Bad Are Bananas? about?

In How Bad are Bananas? (2010), author Mike Berner-Lee provides readers with an A-to-Z guide of how they can start living a more environmentally conscious life and reduce their own carbon footprint. You may think you’re familiar with climate change and carbon footprints, but do you really know the everyday activities that contribute to the current environmental crisis? From grocery shopping to washing your clothes, you’ll learn how to be more efficient and less wasteful.

How Bad Are Bananas? Review

How Bad Are Bananas? (2010) by Mike Berners-Lee is an eye-opening exploration of carbon footprints and the environmental impact of everyday activities. Here's why this book is worth reading:

Packed with fascinating facts and figures, it reveals the surprising carbon footprints of various products, helping us make informed choices for a more sustainable future.
Using clear and accessible language, the book breaks down complex topics to educate readers about the environmental impact of seemingly innocent actions.
Its practical tips and realistic solutions empower readers to take meaningful steps towards reducing their carbon footprint, inspiring positive change without overwhelming them.

Best quote from How Bad Are Bananas?

In 2008, one-fourth of all texts came from China.

—Mike Berners-Lee

Who should read How Bad Are Bananas??

Anyone curious about their own carbon footprint
Environmentalists in the fight against global warming
Consumers who want to make more informed purchases

About the Author

Mike Berners-Lee is a professor at Lancaster University and the founding director of Small World Consulting, a company that specializes in measuring the carbon footprint of services and products worldwide. He is also the author of The Burning Question: We Can't Burn Half the World's Oil, Coal and Gas. So How Do We Quit? (2013) and a frequent contributor to the Guardian.

Categories with How Bad Are Bananas?

Nature & the Environment

Book summaries like How Bad Are Bananas?

We Are the Weather

Jonathan Safran Foer

Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast

21 min

4.3

The Necessary Revolution

Peter Senge

How Individuals and Organizations Are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World

12 min

3.6

How Successful People Lead

John C. Maxwell

Taking Your Influence to the Next Level

19 min

4.2

The Upcycle

William McDonough and Michael Braungart

Beyond Sustainability – Designing for Abundance

Make a Big Difference by Throwing Away Less

Surviving the Climate Crisis

The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8 A.M.)

Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter

16 min

4.3

The Upside of Your Dark Side

Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener

Why Being Your Whole Self – Not Just Your “Good” Self – Drives Success and Fulfillment

23 min

4.0

Why Nations Fail

Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson

The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty

The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism

The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don't Deny® Intermittent Fasting

17 min

4.5

Spark

John J. Ratey & Eric Hagerman

The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older

Feel Younger, Be Happier, Live Longer

How to Start Conversations that Get Results

15 min

4.1

The Richest Man in Babylon

George S. Clason

Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century

17 min

4.3

A Guide to the Good Life

William B. Irvine

The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

22 min

4.6

Long-Term Thinking for a Short-Sighted World

Jim Brumm

Restoring happiness, balance, and sanity to our lives and our planet

18 min

3.8

The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook

Charles H. Green & Andrea P. Howe

A Comprehensive Toolkit for Leading with Trust

15 min

4.1

Communication Miracles for Couples

Jonathan Robinson

Easy and Effective Tools to Create More Love and Less Conflict

Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation

Evolution and Consequences of Modern Carnivory

Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose

How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

21 min

4.6

Surfaces and Essences

Douglas Hofstadter

Analogy as the Fuel and Fire of Thinking

16 min

Sleep Drink Breathe

Michael Breus

Simple Daily Habits for Profound Long-Term Health

A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt

The Fall of Big Data and the Rise of the Blockchain Economy

23 min

3.9

Building Your Money Machine with ChatGPT

Larry Wheeler

Use AI to Generate Ideas, Automate Marketing, and Build Profits

How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense

The Psychology of Human Relationships

17 min

3.5

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Marie Kondo

The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

14 min

4.2

The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels

Alex Epstein

What if using fossil fuels is healthy and moral after all?

Five Secrets to Create Connection and Cultivate Passion

A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

How We Meet and Why It Matters

24 min

4.3

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work

John M. Gottman and Nan Silver

A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert

20 min

4.2

Conversational Intelligence

Judith E. Glaser

How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results

19 min

4.2

7 Principles of Transformational Leadership

Hugh Blane

Create a Mindset of Passion, Innovation, and Growth

21 min

A Beginner's Guide to the Stock Market

Matthew R Kratter

Everything You Need to Start Making Money Today

7 Steps to Living Your Best Life

To Live, to Love, to Learn, to Leave a Legacy

How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource

The 20 Skills and Competencies Everyone Needs to Succeed in a Digital World

18 min

3.9

The Brothers Karamazov

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

A Tragic Murder Mystery on the Burden of Free Will and Morality

23 min

4.7

The Art of Talking with Children

Rebecca Rolland

Nurturing Kindness, Creativity, and Confidence in Kids

26 min

4.2

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration

Weston A. Price

A Comparison of Primitive and Modern Diets and their Effects

17 min

4.2

100 Million Years Of Food

Stephen Le

What Our Ancestors Ate and Why It Matters Today

17 min

3.9

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.