How to Calculate the Carbon Footprint in Air Travel

Increasing air travel is likely to lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Air travel is increasingly being eyed as a culprit in global climate change. Airplanes currently contribute about 3 percent of all greenhouse gases associated with climate change, but air travel is growing at a rate of roughly 5 percent annually. The number of air travel miles could triple in the next two decades, according to the Boeing Co. Emissions for air travel usually vary, with shorter flights resulting in a larger per-mile carbon footprint.

Instructions

1. Calculate the number of miles on your flight. This can frequently be obtained from the airline's website or from an online tool, such as Webflyer.com's mileage calculator.

2. Convert the number of miles to kilometers by multiplying the distance by 1.609.

3. Multiply the distance by 223 for flights under 400 miles. That figure gives you the grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer for your trip. For medium flights, between 400 and 1,500 miles, multiply the distance by 204. For longer flights, multiply the distance by 181. For extended trips of 3,000 miles or more, multiply by 172.

4. Calculate emissions with an online calculator. There are several available, including TerraPass, Green Project, CarbonFund.org and the Berkeley Institute of the Environment.

References

• University of California Berkeley: Cool Climate Network
• Boeing: Farnborough Presentation, Current Market Outlook 2010
• U.S. Geological Survey: Conversion Formulas

Resources

• Green Progress: Calculate Your Carbon Footprint and Reduce Your Impact
• TerraPass Carbon Footprint Calculator: Air
• Berkeley Institute of the Environment: Calculate Your Air Travel Carbon Footprint
• CarbonFund.org: Calculators
• Web Flyer: Find Distance Between Airports