WHAT SIZE IS YOUR LIFE'S FOOTPRINT ON THE GLOBE?
Posted on 10.12.07
By: OurGreenCommunity
• Click here for OGC's calculator
Carbon calculators help individuals determine their carbon “footprint” -- the amount of carbon dioxide produced through daily activities such as driving a car or flicking on a light switch. Many calculators offer carbon offsets -- purchases that mitigate, or offset, an individual’s greenhouse gas emissions.
With increased light being shed on global warming and climate change, carbon calculators are sprouting like wildflowers across the online landscape. In fact, there’s a new one right in this site -- and its aimed at Sacramentans.
But this sites carbon calculator is particularly cool, in the words of Alexandra Crawford, a SMUD project manager who oversaw its design.
“SMUD conducted a thorough review of all the major online calculators and came to the conclusion that they didn’t accurately account for the lifestyles of Sacramento residents,” Crawford said. “Although the purchase of offsets from those other calculators would help the global environment, there was no direct local impact.”
What makes this calculator unique is that carbon offsets will go toward Sacramento-area projects, benefiting not just the environment but the local economy.
Instead of contributing to reforestation in South America or some other far-away project, your offset will come from a dairy farm in Sacramento County that converts the methane from cow manure into renewable energy.
The calculator also uses local rather than national data in determining your carbon footprint. If you don’t know what your average electric bill is, you don’t need to rummage through the recycle bin at home. You can simply upload the information from SMUD.
“SMUD built a calculator which actually uses SMUD energy data and incorporates weather and other Sacramento specific data,” Crawford said. “ SMUD’s carbon calculator features two links -- “Calculate your carbon” and “Reduce your carbon.” By answering a series of simple questions, you can estimate your carbon footprint and then purchase offsets to reduce or eliminate it.
The idea behind carbon offsets is simple. Individuals buy offsets from a company or organization that invests in projects such as reforestation or solar and wind power. The offsets neutralize the individual’s greenhouse gas emissions.
But they’re just one piece of a larger puzzle. People should conserve and implement energy efficiency measures, too. Offsets are a good start as we begin to adjust to this changing energy climate, but ultimately, we need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Energy efficiency is the most effective way an individual can reduce global warming – drive less, install compact fluorescent light bulbs, reduce electricity use during the peak usage hours of late afternoon and early evening. This is why SMUD offers a wide variety of customer rebates for energy efficient appliances at smud.org.
StOllie
This is a friendly interface, and fast. It is not clear if this is personal or household emissions. The data entry fields request "for every person", as well as number of people, but the output says "your total emmissions". I would suggest "your household total emissions".
BruceC
Ali, Ralph and team: Awesome job--this is the best carbon calculator out there, and I have looked at many. The tie to local emissions reduction projects really sets this apart and adds value for us Sacramentans.
LenSilvey
Alexander and Team: I could not get the calculator to work. After entering elec. and gas bill info., clicking the "Next" button would not advance to the next step. Len
Rocketman
Great job by Alexander and her team! The carbon footprint calculator was easy to use and effective and I like the comparison of my personal footprint to the local and world averages. Use of local offsets is very meaningful.