Calculate your carbon footprint

Calculate carbon cartoon

Web based Carbon Calculators can help us move from agreement on climate change to action.  To use one, simply enter details of your energy use.  The calculator will then translate this into estimated carbon dioxide emissions. 

Once you have your estimate, you can use the calculator to test the impact of doing things differently. 

The Act on CO2 calculator (www.direct.gov.uk/actonco2) focuses on your home, appliances and transport.  It compares your emissions against the national average and UK target and suggests a personalised action plan.  This is great for getting some perspective on the size of the challenge ahead.

The UK government is currently committed to an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions from 1990 levels by 2050.  In 1990 UK emissions averaged 10 tonnes per person.  This will need to fall below 2 tonnes a year by 2050 to meet the target. 

Cutting our emissions will bring us closer to living within our share of the planet’s environmental resources.  An article in the New Scientist estimated that 3 planets would be required to sustain the current UK lifestyle were everyone in the world to adopt it. 

Carbon Calculators usually come with advice.  You might opt to insulate your home, switch to a green electricity tariff, or buy only energy efficient appliances.  Generating solar hot water or electricity may also be an option for some households.

For further impartial advice on acting to reduce your carbon footprint, contact the Energy Saving Trust free on 0800 512 012.

 

Notes for editors:

  1. This article was produced by United Sustainable Energy Agency (USEA). This organisation was created by the merger of Milton Keynes Energy Agency & Thames Valley Energy Centre in May 2008. Contact: Gordon Glass, Marketing Co-ordinator. To email USEA staff, use firstname.lastname@usea.org.uk
  2. USEA works in partnership with local authorities throughout Bucks, Berks, Beds, Herts, Oxon, Hants and the Isle of Wight. In 2008, USEA was awarded a new contract with the Energy Saving Trust to operate an Energy Saving Trust advice centre for the South East. The centre provides impartial energy saving advice to the residents of Bucks, Berks, Oxon, Hants and the Isle of Wight. USEA also offers a free insulation price comparison service called Cocoon.
  3. For per capita CO2 emissions since 1990, see the data produced by the US Department of Energy’s Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre (CDIAC): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions_per_capita
  4. For details of the number of planets required to support various lifestyles, click on the graph within this New Scientist article:
    http://www.science.org.au/nova/newscientist/107ns_004.htm
  5. The information contained within this article is correct to the best of our knowledge, but is subject to change.  USEA cannot in any way be held legally responsible for any advice given or any work carried out as a result of this information.

© United Sustainable Energy Agency. Cocoon is operated by United Sustainable Energy Agency - a not for profit company - incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 3553525.