Carbon footprint calculator

This is a project of the Mat-Su Carbon Crew, a group of business students at the Mat-Su College campus of the University of Alaska, who feel that talking about carbon leads to thinking about local green job opportunities.  Reducing, reusing, and recycling can create those green jobs in Alaska.

Thank you for caring about the environment, the community, and our futures.

This carbon dioxide emission calculator will help you gain an approximate idea of how many tons of carbon dioxide some of your activities generate. We encourage you to try and reduce it. We can help!

Calculator instructions

• Enter the appropriate figures into the quantity column - all fields are optional.
• The estimated number of tons of CO2 emissions will be displayed in the right hand column.
• At the bottom of the form, the total estimated amount of carbon dioxide emissions will be displayed as an annual and monthly figure in short tons (1 short ton = 2000 pounds).
• Below are some great ways to help you reduce your carbon usage.
• Explanatory notes are below the calculator as to how those figures were obtained.

Notes on CO2 emissions/offset calculator: 

The calculator is not designed to be 100% accurate as there are too many variables required in order to give a reliable emissions total. It is simply to give you an indication on how much carbon dioxide is generated by your activity.

Bear in mind that just about all we do in modern life produces a carbon footprint, well over and above what occurs in the natural world. For instance, the computer you are viewing this on was produced using processes that create carbon emissions, and we are using power.   Offsetting should be seen as a last resort; reduction in consumption is the first goal. 

 The calculations are based on the following:

• Household electricity is based on a figure of 1.5 pounds of carbon emissions per kilowatt hour generated by a coal fired power station.² Averages for USA based on Department of Energy figures.
   
• Natural gas emissions calculated on 0.12 pounds of carbon dioxide per cubic foot.⁴
  


• Fuel oil based on 22.29 pounds CO2 emissions per gallon.⁴
   
• Small car emissions calculated on .59 pounds emissions per passenger, per mile¹
   
• Medium car emissions calculations based on 1.1 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per mile¹
   
• SUV/4 wheel drive carbon dioxide emissions based on 1.57 pounds per mile¹
   
• Air travel emissions based on Boeing 747 at average USA capacity and calculated per person¹
   
• Train travel calculations based on average occupancy of intercity train.¹
   
• General waste is based on the USA average⁴ carbon dioxide emission equivalent of 1010 pounds per person per year. Please note, if your household recycles all glass, paper, plastic and cans; this aspect of the calculation could be as much as 50% less. The food aspect of the calculation is based on a vegan diet; i.e being 1.5 tons per person less than the American average of 5,600 pounds of CO2 equivalent emissions per year⁷.
   
• Based on the average American diet generating the equivalent of 1.5 tons more carbon dioxide per year than a vegan diet.³

¹ Source: Sightline Institute
² Source: Various studies from around the world; averaged 
³Source: Diet, Energy and Global Warming - Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin. University of Chicago study, May 2006
^4,5,6 Source: USA Environmental Protection Agency
⁷Source: Livestock's Long Shadow - Food and Agricultural Organization Of The United Nations 2006

 

Free Web Counter