CO2 Equivalent Calculator
Notice: Please avoid using the data of this tool for formal carbon analysis reports or similar endeavors. While they are based on accurate data their validity may vary due to errors in the code logic used.
Table of Contents
What Does The CO2 Equivalent Calculator Do?
This user-friendly CO2 equivalent online calculator translates complex daily activities into tangible & relatable CO2-based comparisons and data, such as the equivalent yearly GHG emissions produced by coal burning, gasoline combustion, driving, and the number of trees needed to offset that.
The calculator serves as a valuable resource for effectively communicating your carbon reduction strategy, setting specific reduction targets, or advancing other initiatives focused on minimizing CO2 emissions.
How Can I Use The CO2 Equivalent Calculator?
- Choose Unit System: Depending on your location, choose either Metric (kg) or Imperial (lbs).
- Input Distance Driven: Input the distance driven you want to convert to a Carbon Dioxide equivalent. The output is based on the avg. Car CO2 emissions.
- Input Energy Consumption: Input the energy consumption of your home or establishment in kWh.
- Input Meat Consumption: Since meat is a very common food with the highest average CO2 footprint, we selected it for simplicities sake. The output is based on the average GHG emissions of all meats.
- Input Waste Consumption: Input the amount of waste you throw away, recyclable or not.
Keep in mind that none of the above input fields are mandatory to fill out. You can use whichever combination of inputs you like.
Results Explained
The results of the calculator are broken down into three major sections:
- Total CO2 Equivalent: This section projects the total amount of GHG (CO2e) emissions in pounds or kilograms.
- Category Breakdown: In this section, you’ll get a breakdown of all categories of CO2 emission equivalents separately.
- CO2 Equivalent Contextual Examples: In this section, you will be provided with a few examples that aim to put into perspective the total CO2 equivalent amount.
Result Validity & Accuracy
The calculations are all based on official data taken from trustworthy government sources and organization databases. The data itself might be correct, but unintended and undiscovered errors in the logic of the code can skew the interpretation in the wrong direction.
Always double-check the data you share yourself to avoid mistakes. If you find any discrepancies in our tool, please do let us know by emailing us.
What Is A CO2 Equivalent?
A CO2 equivalent (CO2e) is a standard unit for measuring and comparing the warming potential of different greenhouse gases (GHGs) in terms of the amount of CO2 that would have the same global warming impact.
In our case, we are using the same concept as above but applying it to a more simple and relatable approach. We are measuring the warming potential of certain everyday activities such as transportation, electricity, food, and waste based on their CO2 outputs.
Expressing greenhouse gas emissions in CO2 in that way makes it easier to compare the impact of different activities and aggregate emissions from various sources, which is useful for climate change policies, reporting, and mitigation efforts (personal or not).
Calculator Sources
All the calculations of this tool are based on data pulled from the following sources:
