1. 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

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

3. Dramatic rise in energy use in 20th and 21st Centuries
Source:

4. Developed world is mostly responsible

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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”

9. Carbon footprint analysis

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

11. 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

12. CoolClimate.Berkeley.edu/USCALC

13. CoolClimate.Berkeley.edu/USCALC

14. MyFootprint.org

15. MyFootprint.org

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

17. 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%?”

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

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

20. 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”

21. 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”

22. 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?”

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

24. Reflective essay showed broader understanding of contributions

25. Reflective essay showed broader understanding of contributions

26. 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.

27. 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