Jeffrey D. Corbin Union College What’s my footprint? Using online carbon footprint calculators to demonstrate students’ energy use and environmental impact Jeffrey D. Corbin Union College Image: Franz-W. Franzelin

Dramatic rise in energy use in 20th and 21st Centuries

Dramatic rise in energy use in 20th and 21st Centuries Source: http://ourfiniteworld.com/2012/03/12/world-energy-consumption-since-1820-in-charts/

Developed world is mostly responsible

How to reduce per capita energy use? Analysis/visualization of energy use and carbon emissions

How to reduce per capita energy use? Analysis/visualization of energy use and carbon emissions Separate various aspects of lifestyle Electricity/heat Transportation Diet and Consumption

How to reduce per capita energy use? Analysis/visualization of energy use and carbon emissions Separate various aspects of lifestyle Electricity/heat Transportation Diet and Consumption Model alternative lifestyles

Carbon footprint analysis Inputs: Direct energy use (therms, kwh) Transportation (auto, air) Diet, consumption of goods (optional) Outputs Amount of carbon emissions (lbs or tons CDE) Land “footprint” or “Number of Earths”

Carbon footprint analysis

Carbon footprint analysis Range of choices Open calculations vs. black-box Input data quantitative vs. qualitative Output quantitative vs. visual

Contrasting two footprint calculators CoolClimate.berkeley.edu/USCALC Mostly quantitative inputs Outputs in tons CO2/year MyFootprint.org Mostly qualitative inputs Outputs in “Number of Earths” if everyone had your lifestyle

CoolClimate.Berkeley.edu/USCALC

CoolClimate.Berkeley.edu/USCALC

MyFootprint.org

MyFootprint.org

Student exercise Input personal data into both calculators Housing electricity, heating (from campus Facilities) Auto, air travel, etc. Diet, consumer choices, etc.

Student exercise Input personal data into both calculators Housing electricity, heating (from campus Facilities) Auto, air travel, etc. Diet, consumer choices, etc. Reflection of personal impact “How would you reduce your impact by 10%?”

Effect of exercise on students’ awareness of their impact 30 students participated in 2014 exercise Survey of their awareness before and after exercise

Awareness before exercise: 25/30 knew what a “carbon footprint” was 5/30 “kinda knew”

Awareness before exercise: 25/30 knew what a “carbon footprint” was 5/30 “kinda knew” 16/30 predicted their footprint was about the same as “average American Predicted footprint compared to “average American”

Reality: After exercise Most students’ footprints were somewhat lower than average American Remember they are living in dense housing, and driving relatively little Actual footprint compared to “average American”

Components of students’ footprints BEFORE exercise, students were mostly aware of housing and auto transportation “Predict what component(s) have greatest contribution to your footprint?”

Components of students’ footprints AFTER exercise, much broader recognition of contributions to carbon footprints “What component(s) had greatest contribution to your footprint?”

Reflective essay showed broader understanding of contributions

Reflective essay showed broader understanding of contributions

In the students’ own words: I have realized that there are a lot of variables that I have to cut down on to decrease my greenhouse gas emissions. Riding with others to school, less air travel, and monthly spending on goods need to be reduced. I had no idea that monthly spending on clothes etc had an effect on emissions. This exercise reinforced how great an impact my food consumption has on my carbon footprint It made me realize what products I use that have effects on the environment. I saw how my habits effect the earth, and i thought that i was somewhat more efficient than the average American, yet I still need 3.34 earths to live the way i do. It made me more aware of how much of an impact shopping and purchasing items has on greenhouse gas emissions.

Conclusions These are powerful tools for analysis and visualization of impacts Students realize relative impact (e.g “3-5 Earths”) and also break down components Awareness goes beyond housing, auto contributions When combined with reflective essays, they can generate ideas for real lifestyle changes