Where Emissions Really Come From
A practical map of the biggest emissions sources.
Where Emissions Really Come From is designed to help learners build a clear, practical understanding of the topic—without drowning in jargon. We start by grounding the “why” and the “what”: the key definitions, the mental models you’ll keep using, and the context that makes the rest of climate learning click.
You’ll explore the big ideas that matter most: sector breakdown: power, transport, industry, buildings, ag, upstream/downstream supply chains, regional differences and grids. Instead of treating these as abstract concepts, the course connects them to everyday decisions and real-world examples so you can recognize them in news, workplace conversations, and the choices you make at home.
We also go deeper into: leverage points where change matters. Along the way, you’ll practice translating complexity into simple explanations, so you can communicate confidently and spot common misconceptions before they trip you up.
By the end, you’ll be able to identify the largest emission sources across sectors and locate the highest-leverage places for change, and you’ll have a few concrete next steps to keep momentum going.
Course Lessons
Where Global Emissions Come From
This lesson, “Where Global Emissions Come From,” is a focused module within the course “Where Emissions Really Come From.” You’ll start by grounding the topic with sector overview: energy, transport, industry, buildings, agriculture and why electricity generation is central, so the core idea is clear before moving on. Next, the lesson connects the concept to practical context by exploring what “end-use” vs. “supply-side” means (simple) and how sectors interact (electric vehicles + clean power), using plain-language explanations and a supportive visual. You’ll also work through a real-world example that helps you apply the idea to everyday decisions or common climate conversations. By the end, you should be able to summarize the lesson’s main point in your own words and answer a short quiz that checks true understanding—not memorization.
Electricity and Heat: The Core Engine
This lesson, “Electricity and Heat: The Core Engine,” is a focused module within the course “Where Emissions Really Come From.” You’ll start by grounding the topic with how power plants produce emissions and coal vs. gas vs. renewables (high-level), so the core idea is clear before moving on. Next, the lesson connects the concept to practical context by exploring grid basics and demand patterns and efficiency and electrification as solutions, using plain-language explanations and a supportive visual. You’ll also work through a real-world example that helps you apply the idea to everyday decisions or common climate conversations. By the end, you should be able to summarize the lesson’s main point in your own words and answer a short quiz that checks true understanding—not memorization.
Transportation Emissions Explained
This lesson, “Transportation Emissions Explained,” is a focused module within the course “Where Emissions Really Come From.” You’ll start by grounding the topic with cars, trucks, ships, planes—why they differ and fuel types and efficiency basics, so the core idea is clear before moving on. Next, the lesson connects the concept to practical context by exploring why aviation is high-impact per trip and public transit and electrification overview, using plain-language explanations and a supportive visual. You’ll also work through a real-world example that helps you apply the idea to everyday decisions or common climate conversations. By the end, you should be able to summarize the lesson’s main point in your own words and answer a short quiz that checks true understanding—not memorization.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
This lesson, “Food, Agriculture, and Land Use,” is a focused module within the course “Where Emissions Really Come From.” You’ll start by grounding the topic with methane from livestock (conceptual) and fertilizers and nitrous oxide (conceptual), so the core idea is clear before moving on. Next, the lesson connects the concept to practical context by exploring deforestation and land conversion and food waste emissions and why they matter, using plain-language explanations and a supportive visual. You’ll also work through a real-world example that helps you apply the idea to everyday decisions or common climate conversations. By the end, you should be able to summarize the lesson’s main point in your own words and answer a short quiz that checks true understanding—not memorization.
Industry and Buildings: Hidden Giants
This lesson, “Industry and Buildings: Hidden Giants,” is a focused module within the course “Where Emissions Really Come From.” You’ll start by grounding the topic with cement/steel and process emissions (high-level) and building heating/cooling and efficiency, so the core idea is clear before moving on. Next, the lesson connects the concept to practical context by exploring materials and “embodied” emissions and why retrofits and standards matter, using plain-language explanations and a supportive visual. You’ll also work through a real-world example that helps you apply the idea to everyday decisions or common climate conversations. By the end, you should be able to summarize the lesson’s main point in your own words and answer a short quiz that checks true understanding—not memorization.