3 Things Missing in EPA’s Carbon Footprint Calculator

The EPA accounts for such emissions from food indirectly, by looking at other household factors such as electricity consumption. The assumption here is that an individual’s electricity consumption is proportional to their food emissions, given most people use appliances for cooking.

While this is a smart approach to the problem, directly calculating emissions from foods at the household level would yield more accurate results. The solution is viable, considering data on household food consumption — which the EPA can use — is readily available from various government sources.⁶

Using an appropriate API and improved equations, the EPA can capture this data and calculate household food emissions as a standalone variable, like waste and transportation. Doing so will not only lead to accurate figures; additionally, it will send a clear message to consumers that foods are a major source of emissions worth addressing at the household level.

Many people are unaware that their diet can have a big impact on their yearly emissions. While most people understand that meat is high in carbon emissions, dairy products also rank high, along with eating out, sweets and alcohol consumption.

These habits, when controlled, can have a huge reduction in a household’s environmental impact. Aside from changing food consumption habits, there are carbon offset programs available like the Beef and Dairy: Carbon Offset.

3. The EPA Can Include Emissions from New Sources Identified by Research

Foods are not the only major household emitter that many people do not seem to appreciate. Thanks to research, we now know that even pets, sweets, and alcohol are major greenhouse gas emitters in households.

According to studies, cats and dogs in American households account for 64 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year. This figure is equivalent to the emissions produced by 13 million gasoline cars.⁵

Similarly, researchers in Japan have observed that consuming sweets and alcohol is responsible for a much more substantial volume of emissions than previously assumed, and reducing one’s intake of these items can drastically improve their carbon footprint.⁴

The EPA calculator has not factored in these new, and important, sources of emissions in its computations.

From a research standpoint, this decision seems to make sense. Scientific information is coming out rapidly in this century, and proper validation is required before adopting any new insights.

With this in mind, it is understandable why EPA may have shied away from some of these new researches. Unfortunately, by taking this approach, the EPA may fail to include genuine research insights that could improve their calculator.

Accurate Carbon Calculators Can Help Save the Planet

Initiatives such as the EPA’s carbon footprint calculator are commendable in the fight against climate change. Such tools inform individuals and households of their environmental impact, providing the much-needed information to reduce their carbon footprint.

What is more, by using EPA’s calculator, users are sensitized about their emissions and are more likely to take active steps to reduce them. And of course, if everyone were to lower their carbon footprint, the world would see a drastic change in not only the health of the atmosphere, but of all living things on the Earth.

While the EPA’s calculator is generally suitable for sharing basic emission information at the household level, these three changes could improve its overall accuracy, leading to even more benefits for the environment.

Then, people could utilize this information to offset their GHG emissions with tree planting carbon offsets, purchased through one of the best carbon offset providers, to become as close to carbon neutral as possible. Moreover, when people choose an ecological footprint calculator that does include these three things, the measurement is much more accurate.

By incorporating updated databases, accounting for household food emissions, and continually encompassing scientific findings, the EPA’s carbon footprint calculator can become an even stronger instrument to combat climate change and restore ecosystems.