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Individual Emissions
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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.