Carbon Footprints in 2008 - A Challenge?

[Squawk]

I was thinking about 2008 and every year I wonder what I should do from the start of the year - record my expenditure, chart something else, whatever. So, today I decided to analyse my carbon footprint this year. Tonight I have taken readings from my gas and electricity meters and my car odometer to see how many tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions emanate from our household this year. I will also record my travel on public transport and aircraft. Air travel I expect to be a problem but I have solved this dilemma already today by convincing my boss to pay to offset my carbon emissions and she has promptly decided to make it a policy for the whole office! A good initiative as a return flight to Perth or Darwin costs under $6 to offset through the airlines and a quick return hop to Melbourne is half that - I can't believe how cheap it is really. Also, to offset your car through greenfleet.com.au costs a mere $40 per annum.

For those like me who built a new house last year, this might be of particular interest to you. (Cue Dutchy?)

At this stage I'm not sure what extra initiatives I can do to reduce emissions as I have a pretty eco-friendly lifestyle and house, but more than anything I'm just interested to know the size of my carbon footprint.

Even if you think your household is a big emitter - this might be a means by which you can encourage others in your household to improve (ie reduce) their energy consumption. Simply knowing your present status presents a good opportunity for improvement, and after 2008 you can aim to have a smaller footprint in 2009!

Is anyone else up to a "SA Footy 2008 Carbon Footprint Challenge?" - If so, go get your readings and post a reply! (I wonder which team's supporters can go bottom on this list and yet win overall!).

[JAS]

You might find this site interesting. It has a carbon calculator for various countries including Australia.

http://www.carbonfootprint.com/

Regards
JAS

[Squawk]

You might find this site interesting. It has a carbon calculator for various countries including Australia.

http://www.carbonfootprint.com/

Regards
JAS

Does that mean you're up for assessing your own carbon footprint this year? I think that is a Yes

[JAS]

Yep you can count me in...I'll give it a go

I'll work mine out using their calculator this evening and put up the result. I might have a small advantage though as I've never owned a vehicle

Unless someone knows of a better site it looks like this one covers all the countries where SAFooty members reside.

Regards
JAS

[Squawk]

Take your readings and then you can compare 2008 with previous usage based on your old bills...

[JAS]

Take your readings and then you can compare 2008 with previous usage based on your old bills...

Done

Also did the carbon calculator from that web site...

House = 2.306 (using last years bills)
Car = 0.097 (journeys as passenger in mates car)
Bus = 0.022
Secondary = 1.559
Total = 3.984 tonnes (approx for 2007)

Regards
JAS

[Psyber]

We have a almost couple of acres of 200 ft tall Mountain Ash forest on our land, so I figure we are in credit.
I might have a look out of curiousity though - perhaps I could trade any excess credit soon?!

[Ian]

2007 (using last years bills, had to convert Mj to KWh for LPG)
House results given are 1/4 of total (4 in house) all other figure were entered as total house hold use.


House 0.017 (x4 for total house hold = 0.068)
Car 4.86
Motorbike 0.486
Bus and Rail 0.003
Secondary 1.97
Total 7.348 tonnes (total of house= 7.399t)


Interesting to note that :-

2 bottles of LPG for the BBQ = 0.028 t
total years Nat Gas use = 0.020

I think its time to rejet the BBQ and hook it up to natural gas.

[TroyGFC]

I have looked into this too via the trees for life website, it has a link on there to a place you can offset carbons with trees. I think from my calculations I had to get about 100 trees to offset my driving, gas, electricity and cows i eat.

[zipzap]

I'm all for taking stock of my 'carbon footprint', or 'pollution contribution' as I prefer it. But does anyone else think the whole 'carbon credits' and 'carbon neutral' thing is a scam of the highest order? Especially for big companies like BHP who can go on with their usual practices, now guilt-free, because they have paid someone to plant a few trees in NSW or Kangaroo Island?

Reducing your own contribution should be the aim (and I'm sure this is what Squawk is saying) but the message put out by the carbon credits 'industry' is a potentially dangerous one - pay someone $100 to plant some trees calculated with some bogus science so you can go about your business with a clear conscience? Scary stuff.

I like this article on Julian Cope's website:
http://www.headheritage.co.uk/uknow/features/index.php?id=74

[Dirko]

I'm all for taking stock of my 'carbon footprint', or 'pollution contribution' as I prefer it. But does anyone else think the whole 'carbon credits' and 'carbon neutral' thing is a scam of the highest order? Especially for big companies like BHP who can go on with their usual practices, now guilt-free, because they have paid someone to plant a few trees in NSW or Kangaroo Island?

Reducing your own contribution should be the aim but the message put out by the carbon credits 'industry' is a potentially dangerous one - pay someone $100 to plant some trees so you can go about your business with a clear conscience. Scary stuff.

Yeah I agree. One of the things that shit me is when I or the family stay in a hotel, we always hang up our towels for re-use, only to come back into our room once they've cleaned it to find fresh towels, sheets etc etc.
I've even complained to the manager of a certain hotel, and lo and behold, they STILL changed them !!

[JAS]

On a lighter note, I was watching a re-run of a comedy quiz show called QI last night and one question was about whose good intentions had done most to harm the planet.

If you want to find someone to blame for climate change then this poor bugger has to be near the top of your list

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley%2C_Jr.

Regards
JAS