How to Calculate a Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint measures the impact of human activities on the environment according to the amount of greenhouse gases produced. A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide produced by a product, such as a car, or the carbon dioxide produced in production of a commodity such as electricity.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Start calculating a carbon footprint with the number of people in a household. A higher number of people in a household will obviously have a higher energy usage. Each member of the household shares equally in the creation of the household's carbon footprint.
2. Gather all utility bills. Utilities are a major home contributor to greenhouse gases. Calculate energy use per dollar for electrical, natural gas, propane and heating oil. The range of monthly costs should be between $0 to 25, $25 to $50, $50 to $75, or $75 to $100.
3. Estimate the annual mileage for each vehicle in the household. Fossil fuel powered transportation is a major contributor to global greenhouse gases. Older models are less fuel efficient and will contribute more greenhouse gases.
4. Write down the number of flights taken each year. A round trip flight is recorded as two flights. Air transportation needs to be included in the calculation of any carbon footprint.
5. Use an online carbon footprint calculator (see Resources) to determine a rough estimate of the overall carbon footprint for an individual. Many environmental groups have information available for reducing the carbon footprint of individuals and groups. Calculating a carbon footprint is only worthwhile if it is used to take action to reduce its impact on the global climate.