#2473. Finding Your Carbon Footprint

Science, level: Senior
Posted Tue Jan 29 08:02:39 PST 2002 by Alice Stanek (astanek@oelweink12.ia.us).
Oelwein Community School, Oelwein, Ia USA
Materials Required: Internet access, an electric billing, a gas billing, make, year and model of a car
Activity Time: 20 minutes

FINDING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

The new site, SafeClimate.net challenges individuals and organizations to calculate the size of their carbon dioxide "footprints" ......

A carbon footprint is a representation of the effect a person or organization has on the climate in terms of greenhouse gases measured in units of carbon dioxide. For example, each gallon of gasoline a car burns produces carbon in the form of carbon dioxide. Depending on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle and the miles traveled, a gasoline-powered car can easily generate its own weight in carbon dioxide each year, the World Resources Institute calculates.
ENN, Environmental News Network

The Environmental Defense Fund has created an Internet-based calculator that will allow you to figure out how much CO2 your particular car puts into the atmosphere, whatever its make, model, and year. You can access it at www.edf.org/cgi-bin/TailpipeTally.pl.
Earth Day Guide to Planet Repair, page 52
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Using these 2 sites, find your carbon footprint....

Items needed...an electric bill
a gas bill
Go to SafeClimate.net. Click on calculator and follow the instructions to determine your carbon footprint

Items needed....Knowledge of make of car
model of car
year of car
Go to www.edf.org. Search to find Tailpipe Tally. Again, follow the instructions to determine your carbon footprint.