Calculate Carbon Footprint

Annual Carbon Footprint Calculator

Estimate your personal annual carbon footprint based on your lifestyle choices. This calculator provides a general estimate and uses average emission factors.

Home Energy

Enter your average monthly consumption for household energy.

Transportation

Estimate your annual travel habits.

Diet & Waste

Select your typical diet and estimate your weekly waste.

High Meat (Red meat daily) Medium Meat (Red meat few times/week) Low Meat (Chicken/fish few times/week) Vegetarian Vegan

function calculateCarbonFootprint() { // Emission Factors (kg CO2e) var EF_ELECTRICITY_KWH = 0.4; // kg CO2e per kWh (US average) var EF_NATURAL_GAS_THERM = 5.3; // kg CO2e per Therm var EF_HEATING_OIL_GALLON = 10.1; // kg CO2e per gallon var EF_PROPANE_GALLON = 5.7; // kg CO2e per gallon var EF_GASOLINE_GALLON = 8.89; // kg CO2e per gallon var EF_AIR_MILE = 0.21; // kg CO2e per passenger-mile (average) var EF_WASTE_KG = 0.1; // kg CO2e per kg of waste var AVG_KG_PER_TRASH_BAG = 7; // Average kg per standard trash bag // Diet Factors (kg CO2e per day) var EF_DIET_VEGAN = 1.5; var EF_DIET_VEGETARIAN = 2.5; var EF_DIET_LOW_MEAT = 3.5; var EF_DIET_MEDIUM_MEAT = 5.0; var EF_DIET_HIGH_MEAT = 7.0; // Get input values var electricityKWh = parseFloat(document.getElementById("electricityKWh").value) || 0; var naturalGasTherms = parseFloat(document.getElementById("naturalGasTherms").value) || 0; var heatingOilGallons = parseFloat(document.getElementById("heatingOilGallons").value) || 0; var propaneGallons = parseFloat(document.getElementById("propaneGallons").value) || 0; var carMiles = parseFloat(document.getElementById("carMiles").value) || 0; var carMPG = parseFloat(document.getElementById("carMPG").value) || 0; var airMiles = parseFloat(document.getElementById("airMiles").value) || 0; var dietType = document.getElementById("dietType").value; var trashBags = parseFloat(document.getElementById("trashBags").value) || 0; var totalCarbonFootprint = 0; // Home Energy Calculation (annual) totalCarbonFootprint += (electricityKWh * EF_ELECTRICITY_KWH * 12); totalCarbonFootprint += (naturalGasTherms * EF_NATURAL_GAS_THERM * 12); totalCarbonFootprint += (heatingOilGallons * EF_HEATING_OIL_GALLON * 12); totalCarbonFootprint += (propaneGallons * EF_PROPANE_GALLON * 12); // Transportation Calculation (annual) if (carMPG > 0) { var carGallons = carMiles / carMPG; totalCarbonFootprint += (carGallons * EF_GASOLINE_GALLON); } totalCarbonFootprint += (airMiles * EF_AIR_MILE); // Diet Calculation (annual) var dietFootprintPerDay = 0; switch (dietType) { case "vegan": dietFootprintPerDay = EF_DIET_VEGAN; break; case "vegetarian": dietFootprintPerDay = EF_DIET_VEGETARIAN; break; case "lowMeat": dietFootprintPerDay = EF_DIET_LOW_MEAT; break; case "mediumMeat": dietFootprintPerDay = EF_DIET_MEDIUM_MEAT; break; case "highMeat": dietFootprintPerDay = EF_DIET_HIGH_MEAT; break; } totalCarbonFootprint += (dietFootprintPerDay * 365); // Waste Calculation (annual) totalCarbonFootprint += (trashBags * 52 * AVG_KG_PER_TRASH_BAG * EF_WASTE_KG); // Display Result var resultDiv = document.getElementById("carbonFootprintResult"); if (isNaN(totalCarbonFootprint)) { resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for all fields."; } else { var totalTonnes = totalCarbonFootprint / 1000; resultDiv.innerHTML = "Your estimated annual carbon footprint is: " + totalCarbonFootprint.toFixed(2) + " kg CO2e (or " + totalTonnes.toFixed(2) + " tonnes CO2e)."; } } .carbon-footprint-calculator-container { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; max-width: 700px; margin: 20px auto; padding: 25px; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; background-color: #f9f9f9; box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); } .carbon-footprint-calculator-container h2, .carbon-footprint-calculator-container h3 { color: #333; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 15px; } .carbon-footprint-calculator-container p { color: #555; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; } .calculator-form label { display: inline-block; width: 250px; margin-bottom: 8px; font-weight: bold; color: #444; } .calculator-form input[type="number"], .calculator-form select { width: calc(100% – 260px); padding: 8px; margin-bottom: 15px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; box-sizing: border-box; } .calculator-form button { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 12px 20px; background-color: #28a745; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 18px; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } .calculator-form button:hover { background-color: #218838; } #carbonFootprintResult { margin-top: 25px; padding: 15px; border: 1px solid #d4edda; background-color: #e2f0e4; color: #155724; border-radius: 5px; text-align: center; font-size: 1.1em; } .article-content h3 { margin-top: 30px; color: #333; } .article-content ul { list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 20px; padding-left: 0; } .article-content li { margin-bottom: 8px; color: #555; }

Understanding Your Carbon Footprint

Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs), primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), emitted directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product. These emissions contribute to climate change, making it crucial to understand and reduce our impact.

Why Calculate Your Carbon Footprint?

Calculating your carbon footprint is the first step towards reducing it. It helps you:

• Identify Major Sources: Pinpoint which aspects of your lifestyle contribute most to your emissions.
• Raise Awareness: Understand the environmental impact of your daily choices.
• Set Goals: Establish targets for reducing your emissions.
• Promote Sustainability: Encourage more eco-friendly habits and decisions.

Key Contributors to Your Carbon Footprint

The calculator above focuses on several common areas that significantly impact your personal carbon footprint:

• Home Energy: The electricity used for lighting, appliances, and electronics, as well as fuels like natural gas, heating oil, or propane for heating and cooling, are major sources of emissions. The type of energy source (e.g., coal-fired vs. renewable electricity) greatly influences the footprint.
• Transportation: Driving a car, taking flights, and using public transport all involve burning fossil fuels, releasing CO2. The distance traveled, vehicle fuel efficiency, and mode of transport play a big role.
• Diet: The production, processing, packaging, and transportation of food contribute significantly to emissions. Meat, especially red meat, generally has a higher carbon footprint than plant-based foods due to factors like methane emissions from livestock and land use.
• Waste: When waste goes to landfills, it decomposes and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Reducing, reusing, and recycling can significantly lower these emissions.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Once you know your footprint, you can take action:

• Energy Efficiency at Home:
  • Switch to energy-efficient appliances and LED lighting.
  • Improve home insulation and seal drafts.
  • Adjust your thermostat (lower in winter, higher in summer).
  • Consider switching to a renewable energy provider or installing solar panels.
• Smarter Transportation:
  • Drive less: walk, bike, or use public transportation.
  • Consider carpooling or electric/hybrid vehicles.
  • Combine errands to reduce driving trips.
  • Reduce air travel when possible, or choose direct flights.
• Conscious Diet Choices:
  • Reduce consumption of red meat and dairy.
  • Incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet.
  • Buy local and seasonal produce to reduce transportation emissions.
  • Minimize food waste by planning meals and composting scraps.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:
  • Reduce overall consumption of goods.
  • Choose durable, reusable products over single-use items.
  • Recycle properly and compost organic waste.
  • Support companies with sustainable practices.

Every small change contributes to a larger positive impact on our planet. Use this calculator as a starting point to make informed decisions for a more sustainable future.