Blog

How to calculate your environmental impact simply

How to calculate your environmental impact simply ?

Your lifestyle has a significant influence on your CO2 emissions. With the carbon footprint calculation, you will know the amount of greenhouse gases emitted on a daily basis. You will be able to improve your consumption habits accordingly.

This approach will also make you aware of the ecological impact of human activities on a large scale.

How to calculate your environmental impact ?

For calculate your environmental impact, the reference methodology is the Bilan Carbone of Ademe (Agency for the Environment and Energy Management). The technique was originally developed to measure the level of CO2 emissions of companies and the climate footprint of their activities. This information should eventually encourage responsible approaches and the circular economy.

THE A.B.C (Association Bilan Carbone) is currently continuing to disseminate the method of the agency of ecological transition. This accounting system evaluates the direct or indirect GHG emissions (greenhouse gases) of an activity, a company or even a country. Other players then transposed this calculation method to individuals.

This way, everyone can limit their environmental impact.

In order to evaluate your ecological footprint, the simplest technique is to use an online calculator. The WWF proposes this type of tool on its Swiss website. In concrete terms, you will be asked to answer 38 questions about your habits as a consumer (fuels used, preferred modes of transportation, etc.).).

The Goodplanet foundation also provides a similar tool. This system will allow you to evaluate the harmful aspect of your activities for the environment. On the whole, the questionnaire covers the basic topics of transportation, housing, energy consumption and lifestyle (food, clothing, etc.).).

That said, you will have to use three different calculators to calculate your environmental impact in general. In this case, you will need to individually assess the ecological footprint, the carbon footprint and the water footprint. The first is calculated in relation to the Earth’s surface and available resources.

The second focuses on GHG and CO2 emissions.

Finally, the last one measures the ecological effects of your fresh water consumption, taking into account the global supply. The existing systems do not offer these three calculation modes simultaneously. So you will have to use three different tools.

To find them easily, just remember the term “Footprint”, for footprint calculator, carbon footprint and water footprint.

How can we reduce our impact on the environment?’environment ?

How to reduce your impact on the environment?

Ademe’s methodology is an excellent basis for limit the carbon footprint of your household. Indeed, you just have to focus on each theme taken into account in the calculation:

  • The ecological impact of transport;
  • The energy efficiency of the house ;
  • The environmental impact of food;
  • The digital footprint.

In France, the transportation represent 29% of greenhouse gas emissions. 50% of these emissions come from cars. A city car, for example, emits about 104 grams of CO2 per kilometer. On the other hand, 100% electric cars are not completely neutral, especially with carbon-based electricity.

Imports also involve significant emissions.

To do this, it is essential to completely rethink your approach to mobility and favouring among others :

  • Public transportation, cycling and walking for short trips;
  • Carpooling to spread the impact of individual vehicles;
  • The train (14 grams of CO2 per kilometer) at the expense of the plane (285 grams per kilometer).

The energy performance of the home are just as decisive for calculate your environmental impact. Logically, you can reduce your climate footprint at this level by :

  • Adopting renewable energy from a dedicated supplier;
  • Optimizing the energy efficiency of the house (insulation, renovation, etc.).) ;
  • Systematically choosing low consumption equipment.

On the other hand, food generates an important part of the CO2 emitted in France, according to environmentalists. You should therefore seriously study the issue and re-evaluate your eating habits. In particular, consider:

  • Buying in bulk, to avoid excessive packaging;
  • Local and especially seasonal products, to eliminate transportation;
  • Reducing meat consumption, to limit the GHG emissions linked to the livestock sector (14.5% of global CO2, according to Greenpeace).

Finally, think about reducing the environmental impact of email and digital tools in general by :

  • Optimizing the use of email;
  • Turning off unused equipment;
  • Improving the life span of your devices (maintenance, repair, etc.).).

Cover photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash

Why is it relevant to turn to the’French web host 02switch ?

As you have just discovered by reading our article, it is indeed possible to calculate your environmental impact in a simple way. For this, you can for example rely on the Bilan Carbone of Ademe, a relevant way to measure its environmental impact. In addition, we could also provide you with tips and tricks to drastically reduce your impact on the environment. In case you use the services of a colorist’a web host, you can try to find out if it has a negative environmental impact or not.

Thus, the service offered by o2switch is what you need’We call a web hosting green, which can be a decisive advantage for some people.

Having analyzed this first introductory part, you may have noticed that the theme of’Ecology within web hosting companies had become a central topic. This is the reason why most of the web hosting companies have to make important efforts to become more ecological. C’This is notably the case of the’web host 02switch.

Indeed, we will see now why the latter is part of the web hosting companies that have the best image’being the most involved in the project’ecology.

First, the’the overwhelming majority of its energy is now decarbonized, which makes it a key criterion to carry out this approach. Secondly, the old equipment is recycled as much as possible in order to be able to reuse the same material for as long as possible. Here again, this concept offers the possibility to realize short circuits, and thus to monopolize less resources. Finally, everything is done and thought to cool the infrastructure as best as possible, and this to reduce the heat. of the latter