Household Carbon Footprint Post-Audit

The Table below shows percent reductions in our household carbon footprint. Twenty-two
months of utility bills were compared. (Useage rates for up to eleven months of bills from before
changes were implemented were added, and then compared to the same months of the following
year after the changes had been implemented.) The % Change column in the Table below is the
decrease in the utility useage. The actual CO2 emissions reduction can be calculated using the
actual decrease in utility useage combined with the plug-in Table on the website in Footnote (9).
I suggest that others calculate their own actual carbon footprint reductions or at least their percent
reductions.

TABLE: Household Carbon Footprint Post-Audit

Carbon Duration Invest- Payback
Source of Test % Change ment Period Changes Implemented
Natural Gas 6 mo. - 20 $232 ~ 7mo. Lower temp; insulation; programmable controller; habit changes
Electricity 11 mo. - 39 $335 10 mo. Higher temp; insulation; prog. controller; CFL's; habit changes
Automobile 8 mo. 0 $370 Never Tune-up; <65mph, and tire press --> No improvement in mpg
Water/Sewer 10 mo. - 30 $ 88 7 mo. Two -1.5 gal per min shower heads purchased; habit changes

Notes and Conclusions:

(1) Natural Gas and Electricity = 67% and autos = 10% of our household carbon footprint before implementing changes.
(2) % Change represents the change in the generation of carbon dioxide for equivalent periods in '08/'09 compared to '09/'10.
(3) The actual bills with useage rates for natural gas, electricity and water/sewer (excluding connection fees)
were used to calculate the payback periods.
(4) The Natural Gas and Electricity carbon reductions were larger than predicted by the "Low Carbon Diet" model for our household.
(5) No carbon footprint reduction was obtained with the automobile changes implemented.
(6) Natural Gas is priced at $9/MCF
rd
(7) Electricity is $0.07/kwh; KY - 3 lowest rate in USA
(8) Water and Sewer combined are assumed priced at $0.008/gal
(9) Use the website http://www.empowermentinstitute.net/lcd/lcd_files/LCDcalcNet.html
to convert your savings to equivalent pounds of carbon dioxide.