Carbon Footprint Calculator
Estimate your household monthly and annual CO₂e emissions from electricity, fuel, driving, public transport, and flights. Use the fields you know; leave others blank.
Monthly energy & transport use
Short-haul example: < 800 km one-way
Long-haul example: > 800 km one-way
How the Carbon Footprint Calculator Works
This calculator provides a quick estimate of household and travel-related greenhouse gas emissions (measured as CO₂ equivalent, CO₂e). It multiplies user-provided usage for electricity, fuels, driving, public transport, and flights by commonly used emission factors. The result is shown as a monthly and annual total to help you compare and plan reductions.
What is included: electricity consumption (kWh), household fuel use (litres of heating oil, gasoline, or diesel), personal car driving (km and optional L/100km), public transport (bus and train passenger-km), and flights (short- and long-haul). You can leave any field blank if you do not have that type of usage.
Emission factors: The calculator uses reasonable default emission factors for general audiences. These factors are global or regional averages and can differ significantly by country and specific technology. For example, electricity emissions depend heavily on the power grid mix (coal, gas, renewables). Car emissions depend on fuel, efficiency, and driving conditions. Flights vary with distance, aircraft, and load factor.
How to use the tool: enter accurate monthly figures when available (your electricity bill, fuel receipts, odometer records). If you only know annual values, divide by 12 to get monthly inputs. For flights, enter how many short and long flights you take per year; the tool converts them to monthly equivalents automatically.
Interpreting results: outputs are given in kilograms and tonnes of CO₂e. Use the annual total to compare to national averages or voluntary personal targets. Small changes in behaviour can have measurable effects: switching to a cleaner electricity tariff, reducing driving, combining trips, taking trains instead of short flights, and improving home insulation all reduce emissions.
This calculator is intended as an educational and planning tool. For precise accounting (e.g., corporate reporting, clinical studies, or regulatory work) consult specialized tools or lifecycle databases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these numbers exact?
No. The calculator uses simplified emission factors for quick estimates. Real emissions depend on many factors like vehicle type, grid mix, and flight routing.
Can I change emission factors?
This version uses fixed defaults. If you need local accuracy you can adapt the code to replace factors with local values from your energy provider or national inventory.
Why are flights so impactful?
Flights emit CO₂ at altitude and have a relatively high emission per km compared to ground transport. Short flights are especially carbon intensive per kilometre.
Is my data saved?
No. All calculations occur locally in your browser only.