Methods
Information about Climate Change
There are many great resources about climate change. These are a few that we have referred to:
- Fresh Energy
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change : 2007 Synthesis Report Summary for Policymakers (pdf)
Calculating Your Carbon Emissions
The numbers that you provide in the carbon calculator are used to determine carbon emissions based on the carbon content of fuels that you use. The averages are based off of the best available data that we could locate and are meant simply as a way to help you complete the calculator. You can also use your own consumption calculations if you choose.
Household
consumption x emissions rate = CO2 emissions
- Electricity - 1594.67 pounds carbon per MWh (EPA Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID) 2005 Summary Table (pdf)
- Natural Gas - 120.593 pounds CO2 per 1000 ft3 (U.S. Energy Information Administration Session Fuel and Energy Source Codes and Emission Coefficients)
- Heating Oil - 22.384 pounds CO2 per gallon (U.S. Energy Information Administration Session Fuel and Energy Source Codes and Emission Coefficients)
- Propane - 12.669 pounds CO2 per gallon (U.S. Energy Information Administration Session Fuel and Energy Source Codes and Emission Coefficients)
Car
( mileage rate x miles driven ) x gasoline emissions rate = CO2 emissions
- Gasoline - 19.564 pounds CO2 per gallon (U.S. Energy Information Administration Session Fuel and Energy Source Codes and Emission Coefficients)
Travel
miles flown x air travel emissions = CO2 emissions
- Air Miles - .39 pounds CO2 per mile (Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative
How We Calculate the Cost of Sequestration
The cost per ton for carbon sequestration is based on a calculation of how much total carbon per acre is captured by the ecosystems of the Belwin Conservancy and how much it costs us to restore or create them.
The numbers we used for these calculations is based on the best science available at this time. As new information about carbon capture rates becomes available and as our costs change, we will update the sequestration cost accordingly.
Approximately one third of our preserve (or roughly 430 acres) is actively undergoing restoration in any given year. About 90% of that restoration is management which costs us $163 per acre. The other 10% of our restoration is installation of new prairies, savannas and woodlands. This works costs signifigantly more to preform: $875 per acre. This makes for a combined average cost of $234.20 per acre.
With an estimated carbon store of 52 tons per acre for prairies, the cost of restoring a ton of carbon at Belwin Conservancy is $4.50.
( (.9 x $163) + (.1 * $875) ) = $234.20 (Cost to restore an acre of land)
$234.20 / 52 = $4.50 (Cost to sequester a ton of carbon)