Calculate your environmental impact and learn how to reduce it
How to Use the Carbon Footprint Calculator
- Enter your monthly electricity usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh)
- Input your monthly natural gas usage in therms
- Add your monthly heating oil consumption in gallons
- Enter your monthly car mileage in miles
- Input the number of flights you take per year
- Click "Calculate Carbon Footprint" to see your results
Understanding Your Carbon Footprint
Your carbon footprint represents the total amount of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide) that are generated by your activities. The calculator considers:
- Electricity consumption (from power plants)
- Natural gas usage (for heating and cooking)
- Heating oil consumption
- Personal vehicle emissions
- Air travel impact
Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- Switch to energy-efficient appliances and LED lighting
- Improve home insulation and weatherization
- Use public transportation or carpool when possible
- Consider renewable energy sources
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle
- Plant trees or support reforestation projects
About the Calculations
The calculator uses standard emission factors to estimate your carbon footprint:
- Electricity: 0.92 kg CO2e per kWh
- Natural Gas: 2.03 kg CO2e per therm
- Heating Oil: 2.68 kg CO2e per gallon
- Car Travel: 0.404 kg CO2e per mile
- Flights: 90 kg CO2e per flight (average)