The Carbon Footprint Analysis measures the impact of individual lifestyles on the environment. The calculation is generally limited to the amount of energy a person uses in daily life, and to the quantity of material goods consumed. The output of the Carbon Footprint calculation is generally expressed in equivalent kg of CO2 (CO2e).
• Choose 1 Carbon Footprint Calculator from each column in the table below.
Many of these sites will ask you to make a donation to offset your carbon footprint.
You are under NO OBLIGATION to make a donation.
• Calculate your carbon footprint at each site and record the answer in a table format (you may want to answer the question based on your family rather than on the way that you are living as a student).Record the calculator name and your results.Additionally, provide a description of how your carbon footprint was calculated.
Calculator Name Footprint Results Description / Example Questions
• In a min. 1-page paper, compare and contrast the 3 calculators you used.
o Do you think the questions that were asked were valid?
o Do you think that the result is a fair and adequate representation of your lifestyle?
o What would change in the calculators to make the answer more realistic?
o Is this website pushing a particular point of view?
o Based on the results of the calculations and from your own personal knowledge, what one or two things could you do to reduce your carbon footprint?
• Choose the calculator that you thought was the most accurate and adjust your answers so your footprint is reduced by at least 25%. Is this something that you can realistically do? Explain.