碳足迹如何工作

为了保持尽可能的访问，大多数碳计算器都会提出有关消费的非常简单的问题。他们接受年度估计电usage or mileage instead of exact and difficult-to-provide totals.

碳计算器通常从要求您的位置开始。无论您的个人消费如何，您的碳足迹都部分取决于您所居住的州。有些州更多地依赖于更脏的来源力量喜欢煤炭；其他人则使用较大百分比的可再生能源产生的二氧化碳。

Most calculators also ask for the size of your household. The calculator can then differentiate between your personal carbon footprint and that of the house as a whole.

To determine the amount of CO2 produced by home electricity, the calculator divides the estimated or exact usage by the price of power in the area. The calculator then multiplies this number by the state's emissions factor, a figure that relates to the type of energy the state uses. Calculators also factor in natural gas, heating oil and propane use.

Most calculators account for the lower emissions of绿色力量订户。一些电力公司允许客户选择更多的每月账单，以从可再生能源中获得一定比例的电力。这减少了该州的化石燃料产量，并有助于发展绿色市场。

Carbon footprints also include the CO2 produced by transportation. Most people don't know their annual fuel usage, so calculators usually ask for an estimated annual mileage and the car's make, model and year. The calculator divides mileage by the car's燃油效率确定年度使用燃料。然后将该数字乘以汽油或柴油燃料的排放系数，后者将其转换为二氧化碳的磅。

For air travel, some carbon calculators ask for an annual estimate of mileage. Other calculators account for increased emissions during takeoff and ask for the number of short, medium, long or extended flights.

编译所有数字后，计算器将产生总CO2输出，以碳足迹。一些计算器甚至通过将足迹与国家或全球平均值进行比较，将足迹置于上下文中。如果您准备好数据，则整个过程将计算器约30秒。

但是，弄清楚您生产了多少二氧化碳后，您该怎么办？在下一部分中，我们将学习如何将您的足迹拆分几个尺寸。

碳足迹有助于人们跟踪变化。因为足迹量化了根据能源使用增加或减少的碳数量，他们让人们知道一个新的混合动力汽车或房屋绝缘确实有助于降低排放。

运输占美国二氧化碳排放量的33％，因此许多人试图降低其里程[来源：EIA]。一些散步或bike只要有可能;其他拼车，乘坐公共交通或投资fuel-efficient cars。

家庭能源使用占美国二氧化碳排放量的21％，因此有助于有效的房屋。[资源：EIA]设置thermostatat a moderate temperature and installing good insulation and double-paned windows lowers energy costs while keeping your house comfortable.紧凑的荧光灯（CFL），节能电器和绿色功率来源也有助于降低消费。

Of course, individual efforts to reduce emissions can go only so far. Cutting CO2 and other greenhouse gases down to safer levels requires significant government regulation. Lessening carbon footprints does, however, let people see where they are and how they can change. Those who think government regulation moves too slowly or who want to accept personal responsibility for their emissions can track their own reductions and alter their individual habits.

To learn more about carbon footprints,全球暖化和其他相关主题，请查看下一页上的链接。