Hi,
I'm trying to put together a list of common calculations that can be used by businesses to measure their impact on the environment. I was thinking of sticking to energy, transportation, paper, and water and relating it to impact on climate change, biodiversity, food and water security & pollution. For example, 1 ream of paper = x trees = x CO2 emissions = x acres of land deforested, etc. I realize that a lot of (questionable) assumptions need to be made in order to do this but if someone can suggest a decent source or starting off point that would be great.
Thanks,
Robyn Spencer
Coordinator - Environmental Entrepreneurship Program
Environmental Youth Alliance
Common Calculations for Business Indicators
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Hello, Robyn,
Here's a bit of a start for you, I hope. There are calculators on the Web to answer some of your questions. Here is a paper calculator that works with a bunch of variables: http://www.environmentaldefense.org/papercalculator/ TerraPass calculates automobile- and airplane-transportation emissions, as well as effects of home energy use (on the way to sellling you carbon offsets): http://www.terrapass.com/index.html The US Environmental Protection Agency has calculator for energy-use impacts, but it is only designed for the US: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/powerprofiler.htm Here is a broad series of calculators for individuals: http://ans.engr.wisc.edu/eic/home.html Does anyone else have favorites?
Cheers!
Diana Ruth Olegre
Washington State Department of Ecology
Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program
Community Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist [email protected]
360-407-6609
Robyn,
I think Olegra's recommendations are good. A good site is also Safe Climate : http://www.safeclimate.net/business/measuring/index.php. Our company does work in helping companies calculate their greenhouse gas impact from energy, travel, fuel use and waste. We also help individuals calculate their carbon impact and offer renewable energy credits and CO2 offsets: www.nativeenergy.com. You might also check the Office Footprint calculator from Redefining Progress: http://www.rprogress.org/.
Let us know if we can help.
George F. Hoguet
Director, Mid-Atlantic Operations
NativeEnergy, LLC
P.O. Box 1463 Media, PA 19063
(610)566-1332
www.nativeenergy.com
...
Here is a "footprint calculator", developed by some guys who have a green office products start-up business (which I am not affiliated with - I just met them last month at the Coop America Green Business Conference). Some of the questions might be cumbersome for someone not actively involved in facilities management to answer, but it is a decent checklist. It produces a total footprint, but doesn't have calculations for the individual components, but it is the most appropriate for calculating the impact of a business that I've found. http://www.thegreenoffice.com/footprint/ There are other individual impact calculators; there is a list of links on this page: http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/ecological_footprint_calculator.htm
Good luck
- dave