Carbon Footprint Questionnaire (Digital Worksheet) With Quiz & Customized Tips

Georgette Kilgore headshot, wearing 8 Billion Trees shirt with forest in the background.Written by Georgette Kilgore

Carbon Ecological Footprint Calculators | October 3, 2024

Woman at a computer wonders about her total carbon emissions while performing a carbon footprint questionnaire.

A carbon footprint questionnaire is one of the most effective ways to calculate a personal carbon footprint.

By using a digital worksheet and ecological footprint calculator, with a quiz and tips on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, anyone can take stock of their impact on the planet.

Take a few seconds right now and do yours, then read this complete carbon footprint questionnaire guide to see how your emissions add up.

Complete This Carbon Footprint Questionnaire

Start

Carbon Footprint Assessment: How To Calculate Carbon Footprint Manually

When considering how to calculate carbon footprint manually, either a personal carbon footprint questionnaire can be used, or a simple calculation of carbon footprint points.

The calculation of points looks like this (when using this method):

  • The number of people living in the house
Number of People in the Household Points
One person Add 14 points
One person with a roommate Add 12 points
One person with 2 roommates Add 10 points
One person with 3 roommates Add 8 points
One person with 4 roommates Add 6 points
One person with 5 roommates Add 4 points
One person with 5 or more roommates Add 2 points
  • The size of the house people are living in
Size of the House Points
Large house Add 10 points
Medium-sized house Add 7 points
Small House Add 4 points
Apartment Add 2 points
  • The food chosen for consumption
Food Choices Points
A meal consisting of domestic meat every day Add 10 points
A meal consisting of domestic meat every other day Add 8 points
Vegetarian meals Add 4 points
Vegan meals Add 2 points
Mostly prepackaged food Add 12 points
A balance between pre-packaged and fresh food Add 6 points
Only fresh food Add 2 points
Water Consumption Points
Dishwasher or washing machine use – 9 times a week or more Add 3 points
Dishwasher or washing machine use – 4-9 times a week Add 2 points
Dishwasher or washing machine use – 1-3 times a week Add 1 point
No dishwasher 0 points
Both dishwasher and washing machine (calculate the above x2) x
  • The household purchases by members of the family each year
Household Purchases Points
More than 7 purchases (furniture or electronics) per year Add 10 points
Between 5-7 purchases per year Add 8 points
Between 3-5 purchases per year Add 6 points
Less than 3 purchases per year Add 4 points
Only second-hand purchases Add 2 points
  • The waste produced each week
Waste Points
Waste filling 4 garbage cans per week Add 50 points
Waste filling 3 garbage cans per week Add 40 points
Waste filling 2 garbage cans per week Add 30 points
Waste filling 1 garbage can per week Add 20 points
Waste filling half a garbage can or less per week Add 5 points
  • The waste recycling done
Waste Recycling Points
No recycling Add 24 points
Glass recycling Add 20 points
Plastic recycling Add 16 points
Paper recycling Add 12 points
Aluminum recycling Add 8 points
Steel recycling Add 4 points
Food recycling Add 0 points
  • The distance covered in relation to transportation (personal vehicle) each year
Transport (Personal Vehicle) Points
15,000 miles per year Add 12 points
10,000 – 15,000 miles per year Add 10 points
1,000 – 10,000 miles per year Add 6 points
Less than 1,000 miles per year Add 4 points
No vehicle Add 0 points
  • The distance covered in relation to transportation (public transport) each year
Transport (Public Transport) Points
20,000 miles per year Add 12 points
15,000 – 20,000 miles per year Add 10 points
10,000 – 15,000 miles per year Add 6 points
1,000 – 10,000 miles per year Add 4 points
Less than 1,000 miles Add 2 points
No public transportation Add 0 points

When calculating flight transportation, 2 points should be added for short distances (inside the state), 6 points should be added for traveling to nearby states, and 20 points should be added when traveling by plane to another continent.10

A commercial airplane in mid-flight, with a sunset sky background with another aircraft visible in the distance.

(Image: Avel Chuklanov16)

This carbon footprint questionnaire then calculates the impact on the environment by tallying the scores. A score higher than 60 points means the above activities are having a harsh effect on the environment, while a score lower than 60 points indicates a small impact on the environment.

Customized Tips

Some customized tips to cut down on environmental impact, include the following:

  • Replace old inefficient appliances and electronics with energy-efficient ones.
  • Purchase local or purchase in such a manner that minimal packaging is required
  • Make use of public transportation or a carpool.
  • Compost and recycle wherever possible.2
Air conditioning units installed on the wall of a building with exhaust systems.

(Image: Vadim Babenko17)

For example, when you have an air conditioner, it’s important to learn how to reduce the carbon footprint of your air conditioner. Replacing a dirty air conditioner filter with a new, clean filter will reduce the appliance’s energy consumption by up to 15%.

Carbon Footprint Questionnaire

A carbon footprint questionnaire is also helpful in calculating the impact of a personal car and utilities:

Personal Vehicle Emissions
Hybrid or electric vehicle 2 tons of carbon emissions
Small car 5 tons of carbon emissions
Medium-sized car 9 tons of carbon emissions
Large car (including truck / SUV) 12 tons of carbon emissions

Owning a personal vehicle adds 2 – 12 tons of CO2 emissions to a personal carbon footprint because of the CO2 emitted during manufacturing.

Bar graph illustration of the carbon emission of the different types of cars based on power source and size.

Fuel usage is calculated as follows:

  • Total mileage/miles (per gallon) = total amount of fuel usage

Fuel gallons multiplied by a conversion factor

The conversion factor used when calculating fuel usage is 19.6. The equation is as follows:

  • The total amount of fuel x 19.6 = carbon emissions

Calculate monthly utilities

Utilities form part of the conventional carbon footprint questionnaire. Utility calculation formulas include the following:11

  • Multiply kW hours by 0.994.
  • Multiply natural gas usage by 11.7 (natural gas is calculated in therms)
  • Multiply propane gallons by 13.
  • Multiply fuel gallons by 19.6.

Examples related to these formulas are as follows:

  • 67 hours x 0.994 = 66.60 pounds of carbon emissions
  • 19 therms x 11.7 = 222.3 pounds of carbon emissions
  • 3 gallons of propane x 13 = 39 pounds of carbon emissions
  • 15 gallons of fuel x 19.6 = 294 pounds of carbon emissions

Carbon Footprint Calculation: What Is a Carbon Footprint?

The question, what is a carbon footprint, has an uncomplicated answer. It is the total amount of GHG emissions generated by human actions and activities.7 The US population has one of the highest combined (personal) carbon footprints in the world, with the average carbon footprint calculation per person being 16 tons.

The below table indicates the annual CO2 emissions per capita (in metric tons) per state.1

Rank State Annual Carbon Emissions (In Millions of Metric Tons Population per State Annual Carbon Emissions per Capita (In Metric Tons)
1 State: Wyoming 60.6 MMT Population: 579,994 104.484 MTCO2e
2 State: North Dakota 56.2 MMT Population: 756,755 74.264 MTCO2e
3 State: West Virginia 90.8 MMT Population: 1,818,683 49.926 MTCO2e
4 State: Louisiana 226.4 MMT Population: 4,673,673 48.442 MTCO2e
5 State: Alaska 34.1 MMT Population: 740,983 46.020 MTCO2e
6 State: Montana 30.3 MMT Population: 1,053,862 28.751 MTCO2e
7 State: Indiana 175.8 MMT Population: 6,662,086 25.496 MTCO2e
8 State: Kentucky 113.6 MMT Population: 4,455,590 24.973 MTCO2e
9 State: Texas 706.5 MMT Population: 28,291,024 24.883 MTCO2e
10 State: Nebraska 47.7 MMT Population: 1,916,998 24.271 MTCO2e
11 State: Iowa 76.3 MMT Population: 3,143,734 23.566 MTCO2e
12 State: Oklahoma 92.7 MMT Population: 3,933,602 23.270 MTCO2e
13 State: New Mexico 48.7 MMT Population: 2,092,844 22.537 MTCO2e
14 State: Mississippi 67.4 MMT Population: 2,990,674 22.202 MTCO2e
15 State: Alabama 108.3 MMT Population: 4,877,989 21.273 MTCO2e
16 State: Arkansas 63.9 MMT Population: 3,003,855 20.028 MTCO2e
17 State: Missouri 122.4 MMT Population: 6,111,382 19.891 MTCO2e
18 State: Kansas 57.9 MMT Population: 2,910,892 18.753 MTCO2e
19 State: Utah 58.2 MMT Population: 3,103,540 17.513 MTCO2e
20 State: Ohio 204.3 MMT Population: 11,665,706 16.847 MTCO2e
21 State: Wisconsin 97.6 MMT Population: 5,793,147 16.827 MTCO2e
22 State: Pennsylvania 215.3 MMT Population: 12,794,679 16.595 MTCO2e
23 State: South Dakota 14.5 MMT Population: 873,732 15.783 MTCO2e
24 State: Minnesota 87.9 MMT Population: 5,569,283 15.736 MTCO2e
25 State: Illinois 201.1 MMT Population: 12,779,893 15.488 MTCO2e
26 State: Colorado 87.0 MMT Population: 5,617,421 15.215 MTCO2e
27 State: Michigan 151.8 MMT Population: 9,976,752 14.535 MTCO2e
28 State: Tennessee 97.6 MMT Population: 6,714,748 13.686 MTCO2e
29 State: South Carolina 68.8 MMT Population: 5,027,102 12.840 MTCO2e
30 State: Delaware 12.3 MMT Population: 957,942 12.662 MTCO2e
31 State: Georgia 131.9 MMT Population: 10,417,031 12.344 MTCO2e
32 State: Hawaii 17.6 MMT Population: 1,425,763 12.180 MTCO2e
33 State: Nevada 36.2 MMT Population: 2,972,097 12.145 MTCO2e
34 State: Arizona 85.6 MMT Population: 7,048,088 11.557 MTCO2e
35 State: Virginia 97.9 MMT Population: 8,471,011 11.529 MTCO2e
36 State: Maine 15.4 MMT Population: 1,335,743 11.363 MTCO2e
37 State: New Jersey 101.0 MMT Population: 8,888,147 11.191 MTCO2e
38 State: North Carolina 115.0 MMT Population: 10,275,758 10.802 MTCO2e
39 State: Florida 226.6 MMT Population: 20,977,089 10.699 MTCO2e
40 State: Idaho 18.4 MMT Population: 1,719,745 10.528 MTCO2e
41 State: Washington 78.2 MMT Population: 7,427,951 9.923 MTCO2e
42 State: New Hampshire 13.4 MMT Population: 1,350,395 9.465 MTCO2e
43 State: Rhode Island 10.0 MMT Population: 1,056,554 9.342 MTCO2e
44 State: Connecticut 33.4 MMT Population: 3,575,324 9.278 MTCO2e
45 State: Vermont 5.8 MMT Population: 625,132 9.235 MTCO2e
46 State: Oregon 38.3 MMT Population: 4,147,294 9.223 MTCO2e
47 State: Massachusetts 63.3 MMT Population: 6,863,560 9.116 MTCO2e
48 State: California 358.6 MMT Population: 39,337,785 9.116 MTCO2e
49 State: Maryland 51.6 MMT Population: 6,028,186 8.560 MTCO2e
50 State: New York 156.7 MMT Population: 19,593,849 7.997 MTCO2e

Carbon Footprint Examples

A carbon footprint is different from the above-mentioned per capita emissions –  a carbon footprint focuses on GHG emissions related to consumption while per capita emissions focus on GHG emissions related to production.

Carbon footprint examples (based on a carbon footprint assessment) of a product such as a water bottle is laid out as follows:8

  • CO2 or CO2 equivalent during the production of the bottle, as well as the amount of CO2, emitted during shipping.

This type of assessment can be applied when calculating most types of carbon footprints.

Customized Tips for Reducing Emissions

Carbon offsets can be purchased to lessen the impact of personal carbon footprints. For instance, a single tree is able to absorb 1 ton of carbon over its lifespan. The production footprint of a medium-sized vehicle can be offset by planting 9 trees.

A young sapling with vibrant green leaves emerging from a forest floor covered in moss, with a blurred background of the forest.

(Image: aiokr chen18)

Read More About: The Problem with Verified Carbon Offsets In 2022 vs Carbon Removal Projects

Carbon Footprint Calculator App

A carbon footprint calculator app comes in very handy when trying to lessen personal impacts on the environment. Some of the best carbon footprint calculator apps include:

  • MyEarth energy tracking app – tracks daily activities relating to electricity consumption, recycling, miles traveled, food consumed, and usage.
  • Carbon Footprint and CO2 Tracker app – track transportation CO2 emissions.
  • ADVA lifestyle app – tracks yearly CO2 emissions.
  • Klima carbon offset app – tracks CO2 emissions and offers offset options.
  • JouleBug sustainability app – suggests actions to take towards greater sustainability.
  • EarthHero app – tracks and measures CO2 footprint, and has a green goal tracker.3

Carbon Footprint Questionnaire Worksheet

A carbon footprint questionnaire worksheet can also include a general carbon footprint questionnaire worksheet and a carbon footprint calculator for students worksheet.

General Carbon Footprint Questionnaire Worksheet Questions

  • Household income budget
  • Cost of electricity per year in dollars
  • Cost of natural gas per year in dollars
  • Heating oil / various fuels per year in dollars
  • Different household goods per month in dollars
  • Services per month in dollars12

Carbon Footprint Calculator for Students Worksheet Questions

  • Are the lights turned off in rooms that are not in use?
  • What type of cooling appliance is in use every day?
  • How many cold drinks are consumed via plastic or glass containers?
  • Number of times take out is eaten per week (or restaurant visit)
  • Number of times family members fly in a plane per month
  • Is the water turned off during teeth-brushing sessions?
  • Type of family vehicle
  • Type of food consumed on a daily basis.
  • Are chargers disconnected in between charging sessions?4

Best Carbon Footprint Calculator for Students

The best carbon footprint calculator for students is EduCarbon. EduCarbon encourages students to ‘go green’ by empowering them with knowledge about ongoing climate change.

The EduCarbon calculator is meant for younger students, while the International Student Footprint Calculator is meant for older students.13

Carbon Footprint Calculator for Kids

A simple carbon footprint calculator for kids would include the following questions:

  • What type of food do you eat most?
  • How do you get to school?
  • When you visit another state, how do you travel there?
  • When you drink juice or soda, does it come in a glass or plastic bottle?
  • How many people do you have in your family?
  • How often do you eat junk food?
  • How many houses does your family have and do they all have electricity?
  • How many times a week do you have to take out the trash?
  • Do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth?
  • Does your family have an electric lawnmower?
  • Do you take a bath or shower every day?
  • What do your groceries get packed in, paper or plastic bags?
  • Do you play video games every day?
  • What type of lunch do you take to school?
  • Does your family do composting?

What’s My Carbon Footprint Quiz?

A ‘what’s my carbon footprint quiz’ requires the following inputs:

  • Zip Code, State, City, County, or Country information
  • Number of people per household
  • Gross annual income per household
  • Diesel usage in miles per year
  • Type of vehicle
  • Public transport usage in miles per year
  • Electricity costs in dollars per year
  • Percentage of electricity purchased via a clean energy program
  • Natural gas costs in dollars per year
  • Heating oil and other types of fuel costs in dollars per year
  • Living space in square feet
  • Water consumption costs in dollars per year
  • Consumption of meat, eggs, and fish in calories per person
  • Consumption of baked goods in calories per person
  • Consumption of dairy in calories per person
  • Consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables in calories per person
  • Consumption of snacks in calories per person
  • Cost of goods shopping in dollars per month
  • Cost of services in dollars per month5

Carbon Footprint Questionnaire Options

A carbon footprint questionnaire also includes questions on ecological carbon footprints and industrial carbon footprints.

These types of questions can be found in an online ecological footprint calculator or carbon footprint calculator WWF.14

Ecological Footprint Calculator: Ecological Footprint Questionnaire

An ecological footprint questionnaire includes the following questions:

  • How many animal-based products are consumed on a regular basis?
  • How much unprocessed or locally grown foods are consumed on a regular basis?
  • Type of home or dwelling
  • What is the house or dwelling constructed with?
  • Size of the house and number of residents
  • Does the house have electricity and how energy efficient is it?
  • Does a percentage of the electricity come from renewable sources?
  • How much waste is generated per week or month
  • Preferred method of transport
  • Fuel economy of preferred vehicle
  • Hours traveled by public transport
  • Hours traveled by plane each year6

Industrial Carbon Footprint Calculator

An industrial carbon footprint calculator requires the following inputs:15

  • GHG emissions controlled by the industrial sector
  • GHG emissions (indirect) controlled by the industrial sector
  • GHG emissions not controlled by the industrial sector

You can use this business carbon calculator to measure the footprint of any industry:

Simple Carbon Footprint Calculator

A simple carbon footprint calculator (personal CO2 footprint) requires only 5 inputs:

  • Diet (meat or vegan) per month
  • Energy consumption per month
  • Mileage per month
  • Waste generation per month
  • Travel via plane per month

Whether calculating a personal carbon footprint, ecological carbon footprint, or industrial carbon footprint, a carbon footprint questionnaire is extremely helpful in gathering and calculating the correct data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Carbon Footprint Questionnaire

What Is a Carbon Footprint Questionnaire?

A carbon footprint questionnaire is essentially the same as a carbon footprint calculator, and is used to determine personal or business carbon footprints.

What Is the Formula To Use To Know How To Calculate Carbon Footprint of a Building?

The carbon footprint of a building can be calculated using the equation, Therms x 11.7 = CO2e. The same type of formula can be applied when calculating the energy consumption of a building.

What Are the Factors To Consider To Know How To Calculate the Carbon Footprint of a Product?

Calculating the carbon footprint of a product requires the following inputs:

  • Carbon emissions: amount per kg of material
  • kW of energy: usage per hour
  • Shipping: distance in miles
  • Carbon emissions: kg per mile

Where Can I Found the Questionnaire on Carbon Footprint?

Carbon footprint questionnaires are readily available online or can be downloaded in app format for ease of use.

What Is the Carbon Footprint of Vegan Diet?

The carbon footprint of a vegan diet is far lighter than that of a meat-based diet. It is estimated that vegan diets can reduce a personal carbon footprint by up to 73%.

What Are the Steps To Learn How To Find Out CO2 Emissions for My Van?

To calculate the CO2 emissions for a van, the registration number and make/model can be entered into a relevant online CO2 calculator. These calculators make use of existing data to provide CO2 emissions per van.

What Is the Carbon Footprint Formula for Car?

A carbon footprint formula for a car requires the mileage in miles or kilometers, type of vehicle, and fuel efficiency. This info can be added to an online calculator to calculate the total car footprint in tons of CO2e.

What Is the Carbon Footprint Calculator WWF?

WWF has created different carbon footprint calculators for some countries to help citizens and residents living there determine how their lifestyle impacts the environment.

What Are the Steps To Learn How To Calculate Carbon Footprint of a Company?

There are two pieces of information needed to calculate the carbon footprint of a company, the activity data and its emission factor.

What Are the Ways To Know How To Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Your Air Conditioner?

There are different ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your air conditioner, like turning it off when not in use and using the optimal temperature setting based on your climate.

Read More About Carbon Footprint Questionnaire

References

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2Polder, S. (2022). How to Calculate Your Carbon Footprint: 14 Steps (with Pictures). wikiHow. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Your-Carbon-Footprint>

3Panchwagh, P. (2021, November 27). The 8 Best Apps to Track Your Carbon Footprint. MakeUseOf. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://www.makeuseof.com/tracking-carbon-footprint-best-apps/>

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5The Nature Conservancy. (2022). What is your carbon footprint? | Carbon Footprint Calculator. The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/>

6Ecological Footprint Calculator. (2022). Global Footprint Network. Ecological Footprint Calculator. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://www.footprintcalculator.org/en/results/0/summary>

7University of Michigan. (2022). Carbon Footprint Factsheet. Center for Sustainable Systems. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://css.umich.edu/publications/factsheets/sustainability-indicators/carbon-footprint-factsheet>

8UCAR Center for Science Education. (2022). What’s Your Carbon Footprint? UCAR Center for Science Education. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/climate-solutions/carbon-footprint>

9Griffiths, B. (2022). The Carbon Footprint of Water The Carbon Footprint of Water. Chicago State University. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://www.csu.edu/cerc/researchreports/documents/CarbonFootprintofWater-RiverNetwork-2009.pdf>

10National Library of Medicine. (2021, January 12). Determinants of CO2 emissions generated by air travel vary across reasons for the trip. NCBI. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7802810/>

11US EPA. (2022, October 19). Household Carbon Footprint Calculator. EPA. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/household-carbon-footprint-calculator>

12Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences. (2022). Carbon Footprint Worksheet. Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/sites/agsci.oregonstate.edu/files/bioenergy/carbon-footprint-worksheet.pdf>

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15Dwortzan, M. (2021, July 21). Reducing industrial carbon emissions. MIT News. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from <https://news.mit.edu/2021/reducing-emissions-decarbonizing-industry-0721>

16Photo by Avel Chuklanov. Unsplash. Retrieved from <https://unsplash.com/photos/white-passenger-plane-in-mid-air-during-daytime-2hmXvBevyX8>

17Photo by Vadim Babenko. Unsplash. Retrieved from <https://unsplash.com/photos/a-building-with-a-bunch-of-pipes-on-the-side-of-it-IUuVB1nLsQU>

18Photo by aiokr chen. Unsplash. Retrieved from <https://unsplash.com/photos/green-plant-on-green-grass-during-daytime-YtqUWAlL2GE>