Carbon footprint calculator the latest step in trying to reduce emissions

AS GREEN Party leader and Minister for the Environment, John Gormley has done many things that minimise personal carbon emissions.

He does not own a car and holidays in north Wales, which means he doesn't have to fly.

He is also a vegetarian and so does not contribute to the meat industry, which is one of the worst contributors to CO2 emissions

According to the carbon calculator launched by his own department yesterday, Mr Gormley's carbon footprint for last year was a disappointing 11 tonnes, well above the EU average of 8.7 tonnes per annum.

Ironically, the action that pushed his figure way up was his trip to the UN conference on climate change in Bali last December, which would have added 8.5 tonnes of C02 to his personal carbon footprint.

"It really threw me out of kilter. I have tried to keep my long-haul flights to a minimum and I don't use the Government jet.

"You can be as good as you like, and as green as you like, but once you step on a plane your CO2 emissions go through the roof."

The carbon calculator is part of the Government's climate change awareness campaign.

It is hoped that the calculator will reinforce the message that individual decisions can influence individual carbon footprints, which, in turn, will bring down Ireland's carbon emissions.

Emissions per capita in Ireland are currently at nearly 17 tonnes for each person, the second-highest in the EU and the sixth-highest in the world. The figures reflect Ireland's status as a car-dependent society on the periphery of Europe, but also the dependency on agricultural exports and the absence of nuclear power.

The EU has set a target of a 10 per cent reduction by 2012 and 20 per cent by 2020.

That would amount to a 15 million tonne reduction over the next 12 years, equating to more than four tonnes for each person per annum.

The average emissions for individuals, when industry and agriculture are taken out, is 11 tonnes.

The purpose of the carbon calculator is to help reduce that to an EU average of about seven tonnes and ideally to four tonnes per person.

"I think it is achievable," Mr Gormley said. "You do have to choose wisely; you have to get your heating bills down and try to get your flights down as well.

"Transport is the issue we find difficult in this country and, as an island nation, we like to get away. It's undoubtedly the toughest nut to crack."

The calculator factors in house size, electricity and fuel bills and transport costs in calculating individual carbon footprints. It is hoped that future versions of it will include water and food usage and air miles to given a more accurate figure.

Carbon calculator
The carbon calculator can be found on the www.change.iewebsite

Energy saving: making a lighter carbon footprint
There are two versions of the carbon calculator. The basic version takes account of the size of your home, the number of occupants, heating and lighting bills and factors in car mileage and flights taken.

The advanced version goes into more detail down to the energy rating of individual appliances and whether you drive defensively or aggressively.

Being able to cycle the 7km return to work every day saves me an estimated 1.2 tonnes annually. As a result, total personal mileage, as opposed to work-accumulated mileage, works out at about 5,000km a year.

Driving twice to London, as I did last year, rather than flying saved 1.2 tonnes in emissions. Two return flights would have led to 1.6 tonnes of emissions, while driving the 1,200km involved only led to 0.4 of a tonne of C02 for the trips.

Living in a two-bedroom terraced house with relatively low gas and electricity bills has also ensured a less than Yeti-sized carbon footprint.

In total, my carbon footprint was 5.75 tonnes, which the calculator tells me is low.

Had I taken the aforementioned transport options it would have been 7.97 tonnes - still less than the European average, which is 8.7 tonnes, yet higher than the individual targets set by the Government.