Climate Challenge: The Seattle Times


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Take the challenge

Here's how to participate in the challenge to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent or more during the month of May.

You can register here and sign up for the Climate Challenge e-mail newsletter, so we can keep you posted about news, tips and other features on our Climate Challenge Web site. This helps us stay in touch so we can learn how you're doing with the challenge.

Next, complete the first part of the online calculator below to estimate how many pounds of greenhouse gases your household contributes to the atmosphere each year � and how much you'll need to cut to reach the 15 percent reduction goal. Go ahead and calculate your current carbon footprint.

Note: This calculator uses national averages. All numbers must be entered without commas.

Environmental Protection Agency Household Emissions Calculator
Your Current Household Emissions
	Enter your data	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year*
The Basics
How many people live in your home?
How do you heat your house?	Natural Gas Electric Heat Oil
Transportation
On average, how many miles do you put on your car(s)?	Per Week Per Year 231 miles/week is about average in the United States per vehicle.
What is the average gas mileage for your car (miles per gallon)?	If you don’t know your car’s fuel economy, you can look it up at fueleconomy.gov.	12,100 pounds is about average per vehicle over a year.
Home Energy
What is your average monthly gas bill?	$105 is about average in the United States for a household of two people. Our calculations assume that you pay $13.83/thousand cubic feet	11,000 pounds is about average for a household of two people over a year.
What is your average monthly electric bill?	$100 is about average in the United States for a household of two people. Our calculations assume that you pay 10 cents/kWh. We estimate your emissions based on the national average mix of fuels used to generate electricity. Your actual emissions may be higher or lower depending on your electricity provider's power mix.	16,290 pounds is about average for a household of two people over a year.
What is your average monthly heating oil bill?	$130 is about average in the United States for a household of two people. Our calculations assume that you pay $2.37/gallon	14,500 pounds is about average for a household of two people over a year.
Waste
Based on the number of people in your household, the box at right shows your estimated greenhouse gas emissions from waste. However, if you currently recycle certain materials, your waste emissions may be lower.	Total Waste Emissions Before Recycling	2,020 pounds is about average for a household of two people over a year.
Which of the following products do you currently recycle in your household?
Do you recycle newspaper?	Yes No	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year
Do you recycle glass?	Yes No	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year
Do you recycle plastic?	Yes No	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year
Do you recycle aluminum and steel cans?	Yes No	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year
	Total Waste Emissions After Recycling	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year
Your Total Emissions
	The calculator provides a rough estimate of your household's total emissions	41,500 pounds is about average in the United States for a household of two people over a year.
Now that you have your household number, take the poll at the right to see how you compare to other folks who've completed the form. Move to the second part of the calculator to see what changes you can make to reduce your carbon footprint. The final box shows when you've reached a 15 percent reduction in greenhouse gases. You can find more carbon-cutting suggestions at seattletimes.com/climatechallenge.
What You Can Do to Reduce Emissions
On the Road
		Amount of CO2 you can avoid per year
Are you in the market for a new car? Buy a vehicle that gets more miles per gallon than your current one.	more miles per gallon The Fuel Economy Web site can help you find efficient vehicles.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
Give your car a break. Reduce the number of miles you drive by this amount.	miles Per Week Per Year When running errands, combine trips. Using mass transit, carpooling, telecommuting, biking and walking are also good options.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
At Home
		Amount of CO2 you can avoid per year
Turn down your heating thermostat by degrees Fahrenheit at night.	Dropping the heat at night can make a difference.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
Replace 75-watt incandescent light bulbs with 25-watt ENERGY STAR lights. (Enter the number of bulbs you will replace.)	You'll get the same amount of light for less energy and lower monthly bills. By replacing the five most frequently used lights in your home with ENERGY STAR qualified lighting, you can save about $60 each year in energy costs.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
Replace your old refrigerator with an ENERGY STAR model. Will you take this action? Yes No	New refrigerators, especially ENERGY STAR models, cost much less to operate than old ones.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
Replace old gas or oil furnace or boiler with an ENERGY STAR model. Will you take this action? Yes No	New models are much more efficient and cheaper to run.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
Turn up your air conditioner thermostat by degrees Fahrenheit in summer.	You'll save money as well as reduce your emissions.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
Replace single-glazed windows with ENERGY STAR windows. Will you take this action? Yes No	This step can save you a bundle.	pounds	percent of your total emissions
Waste
Based on your selection, you indicated that	Yes No	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year	percent of your total emissions
Could you also recycle magazines?	Yes No	Pounds of carbon dioxide/year	percent of your total emissions
Your Totals
If you took all the actions listed above, you would reduce your emissions by	pounds per year	percent of your total emissions
Your new total annual CO2 emissions would be	pounds per year
*Emissions from waste and emissions savings from recycling are expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents. Congratulations. You've taken the first step toward a smaller carbon footprint. Whether or not you reach the 15 percent goal, the effort will help us understand the opportunities and obstacles in reducing our personal contributions to climate change. If nothing else, you may save a few bucks on your utility and gasoline bills.
For a more detailed analysis of fuel costs and emissions from your car, visit EPA's and the Department of Energy's Fuel Economy Web site. For more detailed estimates of your home energy use (electricity, gas, and oil) and emissions, use ENERGY STAR's Home Energy Yardstick tool. The ENERGY STAR site also provides ideas on a wide range of energy-saving products. For information on climate change and waste, visit the Waste section of the What You Can Do section of this Web site. EPA has developed emissions calculators to help individuals and organizations determine the greenhouse gas impact of their purchasing, manufacturing, and waste management, which are available on the Climate Change and Waste Tools page. A spreadsheet version (Microsoft Excel, 63kb) of the calculator is also available; it includes descriptions of the formulas used in each step of the calculator. For an explanation of the assumptions and sources used by this calculator, click here. Keep in mind that average per person emissions estimates or per capita emissions estimates are usually derived from national estimates of GHG emissions, which include GHG emissions from all sources in the U.S., including industrial emissions (emissions from manufacturing of goods and services). As a result, if you compare your estimates from the personal emissions calculator to per capita emissions in the U.S., they may differ significantly.

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