How to Calculate the Carbon Footprint – A Practical Guide

How to calculate the carbon footprint? You may have heard this expression in journals and scientific articles, but how is this possible if carbon is a gas?

Carbon gas is emitted in the use of the car, in the amount of meat on the plate of food, in the garbage disposal, and in so many other ways we have never noticed.

The carbon footprint considers how much carbon gas we emit. In order to know all these emissions, there are mechanisms that manage to calculate how much CO² you emit during a year.

We need to be mindful of our carbon footprint to keep the level of gas in the atmosphere low. Thus, we help to reduce global warming, responsible for climate change and threatening survival on Earth.

Here you will know how to calculate the carbon footprint, in addition to knowing a little more about what it is.

You can also check how you can be a part of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. And, for inspiration, read our post on the 15 must-see documentaries about the environment.

In this post has:

• What is a carbon footprint?
• How do you emit carbon?
• How to calculate the carbon footprint
• How to reduce the carbon footprint?
• How to neutralize the carbon footprint?
• Get to know Redda+

What is a carbon footprint?

The carbon footprint is the greenhouse gas emissions produced by products, companies, or people. Our breathing emits carbon, the meat we consume comes from animals that emit carbon, driving a car emits CO².

The carbon footprint turns the amount of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions into figures. Thus, we can have a general idea of how much we emit in our life.

For this, some methodologies were created that translate the issue into numbers. With this information, it is possible to think of actions to minimize this impact.

The carbon emissions figures are converted into tons. In the carbon credit market, one ton of greenhouse gas emissions is equivalent to one carbon credit.

How do you emit carbon?

You emit carbon on a day-by-day basis, using a car or any other type of transport moved by a motor. The plane you travel in, for example, is a big carbon emitter. Inside your home, energy consumption is linked to the emission of greenhouse gases, as well as the use of water.

Your lifestyle, whether with food or diverse consumption, is also connected to carbon emissions. For example, some types of fabrics emit carbon as well. However, it is not only this kind of gas that is the problem. Methane is the second largest gas emitted that contributes to the acceleration of the greenhouse effect and it can be found in meat since cattle are a great emitter. 

Industries also emit this gas and the way they deal with this emission will reflect on their carbon footprint. Therefore, it is necessary to prioritize sustainable companies, encouraging the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. And that’s why it is important to know how to calculate the carbon footprint.

How to calculate the carbon footprint

Since it’s so important, you may already be wondering how to calculate the carbon footprint.

It’s simple, some sites offer a digital calculator. In it, you need to provide simple information to estimate the value of your carbon footprint. The calculators use several studies on pollutant gas emissions, including the global average of emissions. It works as follows:

Choose a website to calculate the carbon footprint

The websites to calculate the carbon footprint are from organizations involved with environmental initiatives. They offer the calculator for free and no login is required. Some of them are: Moss Calculator, Neutralize Carbon.

Enter your consumption data

Regardless of your choice of calculator, you will be asked for data on your consumption. Typically, it is tied to a 12-month period and sometimes daily consumption. Some of the questions are:

• How many people live with you?
• What kind of gas do you use and how much do you spend on average?
• How much do you spend on electricity?
• What is your daily individual transport? What fuel and how much do you spend per month?
• Do you use public transport? Which one?
• Did you use air transport?
• Eating habits, how much meat do you consume? Are you on a vegetarian or vegan diet?
• Consumption habits. In this case, some calculators ask about the amount of clothing purchased in a year. Others ask for information about the electronics and white goods they have at home.

Although the questions seem like many, the time to perform the calculation usually does not exceed 10 minutes. It’s fast and the result comes out immediately, without the need to register an email to receive the answer with the information.

Data about the carbon footprint

At the end of the calculations, you will have information about the quantity of gas emissions in tons. Calculators sometimes make a comparison with the global average, so you can get an idea of how much you emitted. In some cases, they even provide information on how much a person usually emits.

There is a calculator that transforms the value of tons of carbon into currency. This way you can get an idea of the cash value to contribute to sustainable projects. It is a way to take a bigger part in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

How to reduce the carbon footprint?

Now that you’ve learned how to calculate the carbon footprint, what to do? Well, the idea is to reduce it.

It can be done by basic actions on a day-to-day basis and some of them are:

• Waste reduction — giving preference to the selective collection and composting. Recycling is a simple action that has an impact on reducing carbon emissions.
• Less individual transport — prefer public transportation. Another alternative is to leave the car aside on nearby routes, which can be done by bike or walking.
• Avoid too much electronics — consider the use of electronics in the home according to real needs. Turn off appliances when not in use.
• Eating Habits — Invest in a day or two without meat at mealtimes. Opt for organic and less industrialized foods.
• Consumer habits — buy clothes when needed. If possible, invest in good thrift stores. Rethink the way you decide to buy things, is it really just a matter of a closet upgrade? 
• Avoid the use of polluting plastics and packaging. In our post How to avoid using plastic? You get good sustainable tips. You will find that you can exchange plastic cutlery for regular cutlery. And, why do you need to use a plastic straw?
• Invest in green spaces — if you have the space, make gardens. Invite the neighborhood to preserve the square next door. If you live in an apartment, discover green options for your balcony and even your living room.
• Buy products from responsible companies — sustainable companies are committed to the environment. So if you can buy from these companies, even better. Thus, you collaborate to create a chain of people who are trying to preserve and save nature.

Changing your lifestyle is essential to help reduce the carbon footprint. It is an action that generates positive impacts on the environment, such as stopping global warming. In our post What is the difference between global warming and the greenhouse effect?, you can find more information.

How to neutralize the carbon footprint?

In addition to reducing your carbon footprint, you can neutralize unavoidable emissions. But, what is neutralizing the carbon footprint? It’s a way to compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions you’ve emitted.

For example, you need to travel by plane for work, even more than once a year. The plane is a big emitter of GHGs, so you calculate how much of the emission is linked to this use.

Calculators help in converting the equivalence of tons of carbon to your currency. So you can invest the emitted carbon money in sustainable institutions. For example, an organization that invests in clean energy, or another that invests in sustainable cities.

Thus, you collaborate so that projects continue in an attempt to improve the quality of the environment.

It is through this reasoning that the idea of ​​carbon credits for countries and companies arose. Understand more about the Carbon credit – Advantages and disadvantages.

Find out how Redda+ and you can help preserve the Amazon

Redda+ is an initiative with sustainable projects integrated with the mechanisms for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. The Amazon is the priority of Redda+ projects, including one of the projects that take place in Portel, Pará.

In this riverside community, Redda+ develops a sustainable city project. The actions are integrative with nature and maintain the connection with the local culture. Finally, it helps support the creation of a sustainable autonomous economy.

In this project, Redda+ also uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals as benchmarks. In this way, it confirms the importance of projects involved with movements against Global Warming and socioeconomic concerns.

Click here to learn more about Redda+ projects.