Measuring Your Carbon Footprint
Switch2Zero will soon have a carbon footprint calculator available for you to regularly check and get updates on your environmental impact and the steps you’re taking to reduce it. In the meantime, we’ve compiled a basic rundown of the factors usually taken into account.
Energy Consumption
This includes the energy you use to power your home and work (heating, electricity, water, fuel). It can be impacted by the size of your residence or office, its location, insulation, lighting, heating, and general energy efficiency,
Diet
The food you eat has a huge impact on your carbon footprint. Animal products have much higher emissions associated with them than meat and dairy free items. It’s also worth considering how your food is packaged, where it’s sourced from, and how it gets to you.
Consumption Habits
The types of products you buy and use will have emissions associated with their production, transportation, and disposal.
Waste
Anything you throw away (food, clothes, packaging) will contribute to your carbon footprint- especially depending on how you dispose of it.
Travel habits
How do you tend to get to work? How many long-distance flights do you take? Your modes of transportation, distance of travel, and frequency of trips all contribute to your footprint.
Geography
Some regions have more emissions-intensive energy or transportation systems than others.
Some of these items, like geography, you probably can’t control. If you rely on a bus to get to work, that’s not going to be something you can easily change.
Other items, meanwhile, have crossover. For example, energy consumption impacts both housing and travel. Waste is a big part of your diet and consumption habits.
The key takeaway is that your carbon footprint is multifaceted, so considering multiple strains of your choices and actions is the best way to gain the insight you need to start making changes to your carbon footprint.
The Typical Carbon Footprint in the UK
As we’ve established, individual carbon footprints can vary widely based on factors such as income, diet, and travel habits.
The average carbon footprint of a UK resident is estimated to be between 6–12 tonnes of CO2e per year, depending on who you ask, though the UK Government has been criticised for its low estimate which lacks aviation, shipping, and imports/exports.
Our calculations break it down like this:
This breakdown has been calculated based on WWF.org’s UK Carbon Footprint Analysis, Climate Change: The Role of Individual by Gary Kerr, and The Office of National Statistics.
34%- Transport: Cars, buses, trains, and planes all contribute to carbon emissions. You can reduce this figure by reducing your use of combustion engine vehicles and long-distance travel. Public transport, carpooling, and combining trips for work or errands are all helpful.
26%- Food: The production, processing, packaging, and transportation of food. One of the quickest and easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is to reduce your consumption of meat and dairy, but you can also choose loose vegetables instead of plastic-wrapped, or buy items in bulk instead of in single serving sizes.
17%- Consumer Goods: The manufacture, transport, and disposal of consumer goods such as clothing, electronics, and furniture. You can reduce this figure by buying locally, buying second hand, recycling, mending, and upcycling items.
15%- Housing: The energy used for heating, lighting, and appliances in the home. You can reduce this figure by conserving energy in a variety of ways. Turn out lights, take short showers, wash clothes in cold water and hang them to dry.
8%-Services: Healthcare, education, and leisure activities are included here. You can reduce this by being conscious of the products, companies, and supplies you use.
Reducing your carbon footprint can involve making changes in many areas of your life, including reducing energy consumption at home, ditching the car, choosing more sustainable foods, and reducing waste.
The Typical Personal Carbon Footprint US
Just like in the UK, the US carbon footprint varies widely depending on lifestyle, habits, and consumption patterns. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average carbon footprint of a person in the US was approximately 16.6 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year in 2018.
We’ve listed the main contributors to the average US carbon footprint below, but should note that this data is based on national emissions as opposed to individual ones.
Data taken from the Environmental Protection Agency.
29%- Transportation: Cars, trucks, planes, and other forms of transportation are the largest contributor to carbon emissions in the US.
25%- Electricity: The energy used to power homes and businesses, including heating and cooling, lighting, and appliances.
22%- Industry: The production and distribution of goods and services, including food, clothing, and electronics.
12%- Buildings: The construction, maintenance, and operation of buildings, including commercial and residential structures.
9%- Agriculture: The production of food and other agricultural products, including livestock.
How to Reduce your Carbon Footprint
We’ve got some quick, simple tips to help you reduce your carbon footprint, but we thought it was worth discussing the more involved options here too.
If you have the means, here are some really effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
Insulate your home
Effective insulation acts as a barrier that stops heat from escaping in winter or getting in during summer, reducing the need for continuous energy generation.
Transition to an electric vehicle
Switching to an electric vehicle reduces tailpipe emissions, as EVs don’t use petrol so have no direct emissions.
Switch to energy efficient appliances and low energy lighting
Switching to energy efficient appliances and lighting decreases your household energy consumption.
Draught proof your home
Minimising air leakage (the movement of air through gaps, cracks, and openings in windows, doors, walls, and ceilings) reduces the need for excessive heating or cooling.
Switch to a renewable energy provider
Renewable energy comes from sustainable electricity sources like water, wind, and the sun, which displaces fossil fuel-based emissions.
