Homework

Memorandum

Page 1

Design4Practice (D4P) Program

To: EGR 186 Students

From: David Richter

Re: Carbon Footprint

This assignment is due in 1 week by the beginning of class.

The Carbon Footprint Analysis measures the impact of individual lifestyles on the environment. The calculation is generally limited to the amount of energy a person uses in daily life, and to the quantity of material goods consumed. The output of the Carbon Footprint calculation is generally expressed in equivalent kg of CO2 (CO2e).

 Choose 1 Carbon Footprint Calculator from each column in the table below.

Tons CO2 / Year lbs CO2 / year # of Earths

CoolClimate Network EPA Global Footprint Network

Carbon Independent PG&E World Wildlife Fund (UK)

The Nature Conservatory American Forests

Conservation International

Carbon Footprint TM

UniSource Energy Services

Many of these sites will ask you to make a donation to offset your carbon footprint. You are under NO OBLIGATION to make a donation.

 Calculate your carbon footprint at each site and record the answer in a table format (you may want to answer the question based on your family rather than on the way that you are living as a student). Record the calculator name and your results. Additionally, provide a description of how your carbon footprint was calculated.

Calculator Name Footprint Results Description / Example Questions

 In a min. 1-page paper, compare and contrast the 3 calculators you used. o Do you think the questions that were asked were valid? o Do you think that the result is a fair and adequate representation of your lifestyle? o What would change in the calculators to make the answer more realistic? o Is this website pushing a particular point of view? o Based on the results of the calculations and from your own personal knowledge, what one or two things

could you do to reduce your carbon footprint?

 Choose the calculator that you thought was the most accurate and adjust your answers so your footprint is reduced by at least 25%. Is this something that you can realistically do? Explain.