Calculating a Carbon Footprint
Apparently the average carbon footprint (CO2 emitted) in the UK is about 10 tonnes per person (woman, man and child). Environmentalists believe this needs to be reduced to 2.5 tonnes per person. It occurred to me the other day that I had no idea what my own footprint is and how easy it would be for me to achieve this.
I found a useful calculator which helped with much of the work (although I used this site to calculate flight emissions more accurately). This leaflet is also useful and provides a good overview of the issue.
Gas
In the last 12 months I have used 6,000 kWh of gas and I appear to have been in the range 6,000 - 7,000 for the past three years. I've recently replaced a very old boiler and apart from being more efficient, the new one has better controls (for example, the central heating and hot water are now separated). So I hope my usage will reduce. However, for the moment, 6,000 kWh equates to 1.14 tonnes which compares with the UK average of 1.62 tonnes per person (for gas, coal and oil combined).
Electricity
I have recently switched to Good Energy (see a previous entry) so my carbon footprint should be very small. If I hadn't switched, my annual usage of about 1,800 kWh would have generated a footprint of 0.77 tonnes (compared with the UK average of 1.30 tonnes per person).
Car Mileage
MOT certificates are useful here. I drove about 1,728 miles in the year to February which compares to 1,930 the previous year and 3,336 the year before. I think I would probably expect to drive 2,000 miles per year and for my type of car the footprint for this is 0.56 tonnes (compared with the UK average of 1.08 tonnes per person).
Public Transport
This is difficult to calculate, but looking back at my expenditure (which I track) I'd estimate that I probably travel about 2,000 miles on trains, 100 miles on the London Underground and 100 miles on buses (the latter two probably being over-estimates). I can't remember the last time I travelled by ferry or boat.
This usage generates 0.23 tonnes compared with the UK average of 0.36 tonnes per person.
Flights
In recent years I have been trying to restrict myself to one short-haul return flight per year. My flight last year from Luton to Trieste was fairly typical and emitted about 0.40 tonnes. The UK average is 0.65 tonnes per person.
Food and Drink
The UK average is 0.58 tonnes per person. I try to re-use plastic bags, but I do eat a lot of ready-meals at weekends (and these use a lot of packaging). I'll guess that my footprint is slightly above average, perhaps 0.75 tonnes.
Clothes and Shoes
The UK average is 0.49 tonnes per person. I'm fairly sure I spend much less than most people so my estimated footprint is 0.30 tonnes
Car Manufacture
Having considered the evidence on the various websites, an allowance of about 0.80 tonnes seems appropriate (this is higher than the amount suggested on one of the websites and is equivalent to amortising the emissions over about 20 years, which seems about right given my low mileage).
Buildings, Furniture and Appliances
The UK average is 0.98 tonnes per person. On the one hand I live on my own, but on the other I don't buy much in the way of furniture or luxury appliances. I'll estimate my footprint is 1.00 tonnes
Recreation and Services
Again my expenditure is probably quite low. The UK average is 1.55 tonnes so I will estimate mine is 1.25 tonnes.
Finance and Other Services
I'll assume I'm similar to the UK average of 0.36 tonnes.
Share of Public Services
No reason to expect I'm any different to the UK average of 1.28 tonnes.
Eek!
This sums to just over 8 tonnes!
Cutting back by 70% presents an immense challenge, but at least the self-audit has suggested some "small steps" which may help make a start.
(1) I can reduce gas use by cooking less. In particular, during the Summer I don't need as many hot meals as I currently have.
(2) I can probably cut my car usage slightly by buying a bike and learning how to ride it on the roads.
(3) It seems that even one flight per year is too much.
(4) It will be difficult to quantify the impact, but I can clearly improve by buying fewer packaged goods, eating less meat, trying to buy local produce and reduce consumption of food that has travelled long distances.
(5) I should probably work towards living without a car.
(6) For some aspects of my footprint I will have to campaign to encourage my suppliers (and my local councils) to reduce their footprints.
Contributing towards re-forestation (or the prevention of de-forestation) may help, but this appears to be only a partial solution (as explained by Friends of the Earth).
The exercise may also change my attitude towards the prospect of living with someone. At the moment I prefer living on my own, but maybe that will be necessary to achieve the economies required?
Donnachadh McCarthy claims that his basic footprint is 0.5 tonnes. I wonder if he has included everything that I have?
If anyone spots anything I've missed or disagrees with my estimates, please let me know!
I found a useful calculator which helped with much of the work (although I used this site to calculate flight emissions more accurately). This leaflet is also useful and provides a good overview of the issue.
Gas
In the last 12 months I have used 6,000 kWh of gas and I appear to have been in the range 6,000 - 7,000 for the past three years. I've recently replaced a very old boiler and apart from being more efficient, the new one has better controls (for example, the central heating and hot water are now separated). So I hope my usage will reduce. However, for the moment, 6,000 kWh equates to 1.14 tonnes which compares with the UK average of 1.62 tonnes per person (for gas, coal and oil combined).
Electricity
I have recently switched to Good Energy (see a previous entry) so my carbon footprint should be very small. If I hadn't switched, my annual usage of about 1,800 kWh would have generated a footprint of 0.77 tonnes (compared with the UK average of 1.30 tonnes per person).
Car Mileage
MOT certificates are useful here. I drove about 1,728 miles in the year to February which compares to 1,930 the previous year and 3,336 the year before. I think I would probably expect to drive 2,000 miles per year and for my type of car the footprint for this is 0.56 tonnes (compared with the UK average of 1.08 tonnes per person).
Public Transport
This is difficult to calculate, but looking back at my expenditure (which I track) I'd estimate that I probably travel about 2,000 miles on trains, 100 miles on the London Underground and 100 miles on buses (the latter two probably being over-estimates). I can't remember the last time I travelled by ferry or boat.
This usage generates 0.23 tonnes compared with the UK average of 0.36 tonnes per person.
Flights
In recent years I have been trying to restrict myself to one short-haul return flight per year. My flight last year from Luton to Trieste was fairly typical and emitted about 0.40 tonnes. The UK average is 0.65 tonnes per person.
Food and Drink
The UK average is 0.58 tonnes per person. I try to re-use plastic bags, but I do eat a lot of ready-meals at weekends (and these use a lot of packaging). I'll guess that my footprint is slightly above average, perhaps 0.75 tonnes.
Clothes and Shoes
The UK average is 0.49 tonnes per person. I'm fairly sure I spend much less than most people so my estimated footprint is 0.30 tonnes
Car Manufacture
Having considered the evidence on the various websites, an allowance of about 0.80 tonnes seems appropriate (this is higher than the amount suggested on one of the websites and is equivalent to amortising the emissions over about 20 years, which seems about right given my low mileage).
Buildings, Furniture and Appliances
The UK average is 0.98 tonnes per person. On the one hand I live on my own, but on the other I don't buy much in the way of furniture or luxury appliances. I'll estimate my footprint is 1.00 tonnes
Recreation and Services
Again my expenditure is probably quite low. The UK average is 1.55 tonnes so I will estimate mine is 1.25 tonnes.
Finance and Other Services
I'll assume I'm similar to the UK average of 0.36 tonnes.
Share of Public Services
No reason to expect I'm any different to the UK average of 1.28 tonnes.
Eek!
This sums to just over 8 tonnes!
Cutting back by 70% presents an immense challenge, but at least the self-audit has suggested some "small steps" which may help make a start.
(1) I can reduce gas use by cooking less. In particular, during the Summer I don't need as many hot meals as I currently have.
(2) I can probably cut my car usage slightly by buying a bike and learning how to ride it on the roads.
(3) It seems that even one flight per year is too much.
(4) It will be difficult to quantify the impact, but I can clearly improve by buying fewer packaged goods, eating less meat, trying to buy local produce and reduce consumption of food that has travelled long distances.
(5) I should probably work towards living without a car.
(6) For some aspects of my footprint I will have to campaign to encourage my suppliers (and my local councils) to reduce their footprints.
Contributing towards re-forestation (or the prevention of de-forestation) may help, but this appears to be only a partial solution (as explained by Friends of the Earth).
The exercise may also change my attitude towards the prospect of living with someone. At the moment I prefer living on my own, but maybe that will be necessary to achieve the economies required?
Donnachadh McCarthy claims that his basic footprint is 0.5 tonnes. I wonder if he has included everything that I have?
If anyone spots anything I've missed or disagrees with my estimates, please let me know!