Individual Emissions
Related Links
In the home or on the road, daily activities cause emissions of greenhouse gases. Individuals can produce greenhouse gas emissions directly by burning oil or gas for home heating or indirectly by using electricity generated from fossil fuel burning.
Within the United States, per person emissions can vary depending on a
person’s location, habits and personal choices. For example, the
types of fuel used to generate the electricity a person uses can lead to
different levels of emissions. A power plant run on coal emits more greenhouse
gases per unit of electricity than a power plant that uses natural gas.
How much you drive and your vehicle's fuel efficiency, as well as
time spent idling in traffic, also affect the level of emissions. In addition,
the amount
of recycling done by a person in his or her home can affect emissions by
reducing the amount of methane-generating waste sent to landfills.
Your Emissions
Through actions at home, at work, and on the road, individuals can affect their greenhouse gas emissions levels. The first step in reducing your greenhouse gas emissions is to identify how much your household emits. If you have old copies of energy bills, EPA’s personal greenhouse gas emissions calculator can help estimate your household’s annual emissions.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculators
Other organizations have also created their own emissions calculators. Explore the various calculators below.
America
Online’s Personal Impact Calculator
This calculator estimates household emissions and provides ideas about how
to reduce them. It considers emissions from transportation, home energy and
consumption.
SafeClimate Carbon Dioxide
Footprint Calculator
SafeClimate's calculator allows individuals in the U.S., Canada and 36 other
countries to calculate their "carbon footprint" and track their residential
and transportation energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Users can
choose to save their results and track their emissions over time.
AirHead’s Emissions
Calculator
AirHead’s emissions calculator tabulates a user's aggregate monthly emissions
of seven air pollutants (in pounds) from electricity and natural gas consumption,
airplane trips as well as vehicle miles traveled and compares them with average
national emissions. Emissions profiles may be saved and updated monthly to
track performance. The site also offers suggestions on reducing emissions.
ICLEI’s Personal
CO2 Calculation
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) provides
a worksheet to determine yearly direct personal carbon dioxide emissions. Results
include yearly personal carbon dioxide emissions and a per capita comparison
chart to other industrialized countries. Suggestions on reducing emissions
while saving money are also provided.
Travel Matters Emissions Calculators
TravelMatters! is a new Web site from the Center for Neighborhood Technology
that provides a trio of resources - interactive emissions calculators, online
emissions maps and educational content that emphasizes the relationship between
more efficient transit systems and lower greenhouse gas emissions. TM’s
Emissions Calculator allows users to conceptualize how much carbon dioxide
they emit due to their travel decisions. The site also offers transportation
emissions by county for all contiguous states.
CarbonCounter
Carboncounter.org is an individual carbon dioxide emissions calculator generated
by The Climate Trust, a non-profit organization that invests in projects
that reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions, and Mercy Corps, an international
relief and development agency.