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Calculating your carbon footprint |
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Calculating your carbon footprint gives the measure of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced during the course of our daily normal activities. Carbon footprint calculation in addition to actual consumption of carbon is also dependent on location of residence.
Place of residence plays an important role because some places use fossil fuel as the primary source of energy, while others use renewable energy sources as the primary energy source. Size of the household is also an important criterion as the carbon footprint of an individual is different from that of a household.
For calculating the quantity of carbon dioxide produced by electricity in home, the total power consumed is divided by the cost of one unit of power. This figure is then multiplied by the emission factor of the place of residence. This emission factor is dependent on the energy source like oil, natural gas, or propane. Certain power generation companies allow their customers the option of paying a little higher for using power supplied from renewable sources. The resultant reduction in generating fossil fuel helps the development of alternative renewable energy sources.
Carbon dioxide produced during transportation is also included in calculating carbon footprints. This CO2 emission varies according to the total mileage of the car, its make, model and year of manufacture. Annual fuel usage is obtained by dividing the total annual mileage by the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. The resultant figure is thereafter multiplied by the emissions factor of fuel used.
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