To increase awareness of the extent of the problem of excess greenhouse gas emissions, various organizations have developed “carbon footprint calculators”. These calculators work by taking information you enter about things like home energy use, transportation preferences, purchasing habits and waste generation, and converting it to CO2 emissions.

Your estimated total emissions can be compared with US averages, and suggestions for reducing these emissions (or lowering your carbon footprint) are also provided.  The EPA’s Household Carbon Footprint Calculator is one we like.  Other carbon footprint calculators are out there – tell us your favorite, or consider sending us a short write-up/review that we can post on the Climate, Forests and Woodlands Community of Practice.