Calculating and Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

By David Lawrence, Shell

Introduction

David Lawrence, the former Executive Vice President of Global Exploration for Royal Dutch Shell and executive Vice President exploration and commercial with Shell Upstream Americas has experience overseeing a number of worldwide exploration operations and energy projects. Now, he is the chairman of Lawrence Energy Group, LLC. Since 2011, David Lawrence has served on the Yale Climate and Energy Institute Advisory Board.

There are a number of energy-saving tips that can be used to reduce annual carbon output, also known as a carbon footprint.

Carbon Footprint

Some people may wish to first get an estimate of their current carbon footprint, a task that can be achieved by using the carbon footprint calculator at www.nature.org. When calculating a household’s carbon footprint, individuals must first indicate how many people inhabit the living space. The subsequent questions cover various areas of household living, the frequency of travel and flying, matters of food and diet, and how a person recycles and disposes of waste materials.

Conclusion

The carbon footprint calculator can also provide a person with tips on using energy more efficiently. Adopting efficient heating and cooling techniques is a great step. Opening windows during the night is a more energy-efficient way of cooling a house compared to running air-conditioning units, while properly insulated windows can retain heat and lower heating bills in the winter. Finding alternatives to driving can also lower carbon emissions. Also, a car’s carbon output can be reduced simply by properly inflating tires. For more information, try the Nature Conservancy’s carbon footprint calculator for yourself.