How to Calculate Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are gases that contribute to the "greenhouse" effect, in which heat becomes trapped within the earth's atmosphere and causes the temperature of the planet to rise. In an attempt to prevent this global warming, many individuals and businesses have sought to reduce the amount of GHGs they cause to be released into the atmosphere. This often begins with calculating how many gases they currently generate, a number called the "carbon footprint," which refers to carbon dioxide, the most prevalent GHG and the one which acts as a standard unit of comparison.
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Instructions
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1
Identify your sources of GHG emissions. GHGs are generated in numerous ways, including through the use of electricity and the burning of natural gas and heating oil. Also, transportation that burns fuel, such as cars and planes, produces a high percentage of emissions. GHGs are also generated by certain specialized industrial processes, such as the formation of aluminum, which requires the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide.
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2
Select a method of calculating GHG emissions. According to a guide issued by the World Resources Institute, there are various methods of determining how many GHGs a given activity produces. One method is to directly monitor an emissions source by consistently observing it and measuring its release of GHGs. However, because this is expensive and cumbersome, many companies simply rely on scientific guidelines to suggest the amount of GHGs being generated.
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3
Collect data on your activities. Depending on which method of calculation your choose, you will need to gather different kinds of data about your emission sources based on the guidelines set forth by that method.
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4
Apply your method of calculating emissions to your data. Take the data that you collected in Step 3 and plug it into the method of calculation that you chose in Step 2. This should give you a rough idea of your carbon footprint.
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Tips & Warnings
When calculating your carbon footprint, it is important to count both direct and indirect emissions. Direct emissions are emissions produced by sources owned by your or your organization, while indirect emissions are emissions generated by other entities as a consequence of your actions. For instance, the gases generated by a car owned by your company would count as direct emissions, while the gases generated by a taxi you hired would count as indirect emissions.
If your organization generates greenhouse gases other than carbon, you can use the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator to determine how much carbon dioxide those gases are equivalent to. For instance, one ton of methane is, in terms of its effect on global warming, equivalent to 21 tons of carbon.
Your personal carbon footprint, based on your activities outside of work, can be calculated at a number of sites listed below in the Resources section.
