| CALCULATE
YOUR CARBON
Premise: each of us produces a lot of CO2.
A simple equation that I hope no math teacher reads:
Us + too much energy usage= too much CO2 = Earth a little on the warm side
Us – some energy = less CO2= cooler Earth
Cooler Earth is the goal.
THE EARTH=OUR HOME
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COOL AND CALCULATING
To go on the Atkinson diet, it is not necessary that you calculate your current emissions. However, to really reduce, it would be ideal if you knew your starting point- the equivalent to weighing in before starting a diet. You can calculate your emissions using a variety of clever web surveys found on the links at the end of this page. But before you do, you might want consider…
What exactly is one’s “carbon footprint?”
The simplest way to explain this is: there is no simple way.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Carbon dioxide and methane are two of the main greenhouse gases trapping in the heat and causing global warming. Carbon dioxide is created in the burning of fossil fuels when heavier oxygen combines with carbon. Methane is emitted during the mining of coal, natural gas, and oil, from animal husbandry (through enteric fermentation in livestock and manure management), from rice cultivation, biomass burning, and waste management (landfills and sewage treatment plants).
So:
- In generating electricity, power plants burn fuels, which results in carbon dioxide spewing into the atmosphere. In Wisconsin, which relies heavily on coal for its power plants, emissions are high. It has been calculated that 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity creates 1.64 -2.3 pounds of carbon dioxide. The more electricity you use, the more carbon dioxide has your name on it. According to the latest We Energies bills, the cost (to the consumer) of a kilowatt-hour is almost 10 cents.
- In internal combustion engine vehicles, the burning of a gallon of gas creates 25 pounds of carbon dioxide. (Also factored in this figure are the emissions released in manufacturing and transporting the gas to market. Not factored in this calculation are emissions created in manufacturing the car itself.) The more you drive, the more carbon dioxide has your name on it. The price of a gallon of gas has been in the $2.40 to $3.00/ gallon range lately.
- Home heating results in carbon dioxide emissions. The burning of each therm of natural gas creates about 11 pounds of carbon dioxide, of each therm of fuel oil, 22 pounds. Natural gas costs about $1.31 per therm.
- As a consumer and citizen, you must claim a share of the carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gas emissions that industry and commerce and the government expends to support your lifestyle- producing your food, clothes, and consumer goods, handling your waste, and building supporting infrastructure. This is obviously hard to calculate with any precision. The more simply you live, the fewer new goods you buy, the less you earn and therefore spend, the smaller your share of this set of emissions.
CONCLUSION: your use of electricity, your home heating
and cooling, your vehicular use, and your consumption level all contribute
to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions attributable to you.
THEREFORE, any reduction in them reduces your contribution.
CALCULATE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
There are many websites with calculators that allow you to approximate your carbon emissions. Most use your energy bills and car mileage, along with an estimate of your use of public transportation such as train, bus & air travel to calculate the emissions from each of your carbon-producing activities and total them.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html
http://www.safeclimate.net/calculator/
http://www.coopamerica.org/takeaction/carbcutter/index.cfm
http://www.terrapass.com/road/carboncalc.php
http://www.carboncounter.org/offset-your-emissions/personal-calculator.aspx
http://www.safeclimate.net/business/index.php
http://www.cool-it.us/index.php?refer=&task=carbon
As pointed out above, however, added to that should be your share of the energy industry and commerce and government expends on your behalf.
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