everyone has a carbon footprint...
Your carbon footprint is the total of all greenhouse gas emissions from your every day lifestyle. It's made up of things like the energy you use, the vehicle you drive (and how often you drive it), the flights you take, the food you eat and the products you use.
And did you know the average American household puts out more than 48 metric tons (or 105,840 pounds) of greenhouse gas emissions each year just from their home, cars, flights, food and consumer choices?
Download and print your checklist (PDF) —To shrink your carbon footprint, you first need to measure it. If you have this information available, this calculator should take about 10 minutes to complete.
why don't you calculate the food I eat and products I use?
We kept our calculator simple to focus on the reliable data that's available now—which includes emissions data on home electricity and fuel use, as well as auto and air travel. For simple but effective ideas on how you can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of your lifestyle, visit the "Expand Your Knowledge" section of the ShrinkYourFoot.org website
why does my calculator show data that is already entered?
If your browser's cookies are enabled, the site will keep track of any data you've entered in a single session. To reset your calculation at any time, simply click the "RESET CALCULATOR" button in the banner above and all session data will be removed. If you don't see the "RESET CALCULATOR" button above, this means that no previously-entered data has been recorded.
measure first, then balance your footprint…
At the end of the calculator, you will be presented with an estimated carbon footprint and a
recommendation to balance all or a portion of your footprint with a corresponding volume of verified Carbon Offsets from BEF. Each Carbon Offset represents the reduction of 1 metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the atmosphere through a wide range of verified carbon reduction projects.
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent —Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (or CO2e) is a measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP). Carbon dioxide equivalents are commonly expressed as "million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCO2Eq)." The carbon dioxide equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the tons of the gas by the associated GWP. MMTCO2Eq = (million metric tons of a gas) * (GWP of the gas) Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
HOME ELECTRICITY USE
Green Power and Renewable Option credit
The average U.S. home uses 10,837 kilowatt-hours of energy per year. In this step you'll calculate the carbon emissions from the electricity used to power your home—including your lights, appliances, and electronic devices. One way many people reduce the emissions associated with their electricity use is through enrolling in their utility's Green Power program or BEF's Renewable Option program. Complete the questions below to credit your calculation for taking this step.
Are you currently enrolled in either your utility's Green Power program or BEF's Renewable Option program??
What's a Green Power program? —Many utilities offer their customers the option to enroll in a "Green Power" program. By paying a little extra each month, you can ensure that only clean, renewable energy sources like solar and wind are used to power your home. If you've enrolled in "Green Power", click the "yes" option. If you're not sure, click "No, skip this question."
What's the BEF Renewable Option program? —BEF also offers a Renewable Option RECs program for customers of partner utilities that cannot provide a green power program on their own. If you've enrolled in BEF's Renewable Option program click the "yes" option. If you're not sure, click "No, skip this question."
Yes
Many utilities offer their customers the option to enroll in a "Green Power" program. By paying a little extra each month, you can ensure that only clean, renewable energy sources like solar and wind are used to power your home. If you've enrolled in "Green Power", click the "yes" option. If you're not sure, click "No, skip this question."
BEF also offers a Renewable Option RECs program for customers of partner utilities that cannot provide a green power program on their own. If you've enrolled in BEF's Renewable Option program click the "yes" option. If you're not sure, click "No, skip this question."
We applaud your commitment to reducing the emissions associated with your electricity use. In doing so you've already reduced your carbon footprint significantly. This reduction has been incorporated into your footprint calculation. Click the "save and continue" button below to continue calculating your footprint.
