About the Carbon Calculator
Live Climate uses the latest in data and methods to make calculating your carbon footprint as simple and accurate as possible. The calculator uses data from the US Dept of Energy’s Energy Information Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The latest methods are taken from both these sources, environmental non-profit groups, and universities.
To learn the details of how each carbon calculation is made, click Learn More in each section of the calculator. To get an even better understanding of your carbon footprint, visit the Cool Climate Calculator at the Berkeley Institute for Environment.
Home Carbon Calculator Description
The carbon footprint for your home is based on your type of home and the state you live in using a method developed by Earthlab.com.
Electricity:
The calculator divides the customer's average monthly electricity bill by the average price of electricity in the state. This leaves an estimate of how much electricity the household consumes per month. We then multiply this estimate by the estimated emissions factor for that state which is determined by the electricity generation portfolio for that state. Finally, we multiply the resulting number by twelve to come up with an estimate of the annual carbon footprint from home electricity.
Natural Gas:
The calculator divides the customer's average monthly gas bill by the average price of natural gas in the state. This leaves an estimate of how much natural gas the household consumes per month. We then multiply this estimate by the emissions factor for natural gas which is approximately 0.5 metric tons per hundred cubic feet. Finally, we multiply the resulting number by twelve to come up with an estimate of the annual carbon footprint from natural gas use.
Natural Gas Emissions Coefficient from: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/coefficients.html
Heating Oil:
The calculator divides the customer’s average monthly heating oil bill by the average price of heating oil in the country (heating oil does maintains a fairly even price across the United States). This leaves an estimate of how much heating oil the household consumes per month. We then multiply this estimate by the emissions factor for heating oil which is approximately 0.01 metric tons per gallon. Finally, we multiply the resulting number by twelve to come up with an estimate of the annual carbon footprint from heating oil consumption.
Heating Oil Emissions Coefficient from: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/coefficients.html
Auto
The carbon footprint for each car is calculated based on the number of miles driven and the mileage that your car gets per gallon. By dividing your miles driven by your car’s miles per gallon (MPG), we can determine how many gallons of gas your car used that year. Each gallon of gas burned emits 8.87 kg of carbon dioxide.(1) To calculate your car’s footprint, we multiply this factor with the number of gallons used.
[1] http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/factors.html
Air Travel
Airplanes burn most of their fuel during takeoff and landing. For that reason, the emissions factor for a short flight is higher than longer flights.(1) The average short flight emits 0.25 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per passenger for every mile flown. The average long or extended flight emits 0.17 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per passenger for every mile flown.
To make calculating your footprint simple, the Live Climate calculator uses the average length in miles of short, medium, long, and extended flights. We multiply this average length by the number of flights you take in each category to get miles flown in each category. Finally, the calculator uses the emissions factor for each category to calculate your total carbon footprint from air travel.
[1]“Passenger Transport Emission Factors – Methodology Paper”, Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, United Kingdom, June 2007
[2] http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/coefficients.html