Calculating Your Carbon Footprint

What is your carbon footprint? Your Carbon footprint (or ecological footprint) is how you leave an impression on the place where you live It refers to the amount of the earth’s surface that is needed to produce all the energy and resources that each of us uses. It also includes all the land needed to absorb all the waste we make

Factors that are considered Amount and types of food eaten Amount and type of electricity used Size of house or apartment Amount of good being bought Fuel efficiency of home and vehicles Distance travelled by care, transit, bike and foot

Examples of Heavy Footprints Sport Utility vehicles (SUV’s) 12-lane freeways Coal-fired electrical plants Commuters by cars Driving to school

Examples of Light footprints Bicycles Gravel roads Solar power Public transit, e.g. subway Walking to school Why is walking to school “lighter” than driving to school?

Canada’s Footprint The global carbon footprint is approximately 2.8 ha (hectares) of land per person Canada’s approximate footprint is 7.7 ha per person We have a much bigger footprint than most other countries in the world

Finding your footprint Visit: and complete the calculator Print out your total page and hand in with the following questions answered How does your footprint compare to Canada’s? How does your footprint compare to the rest of the world?

Reducing your Footprint Visit Can_Do/ Can_Do/ Create an Carbon Reducing action plan for you and your family to follow at home Include ways to reduce your footprint at home and at school Please have at least 3 reducing measures for each location