Carbon Footprints

Just like every person has a fingerprint, every business has a carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is the impact on the environment of CO2emissions from an entity. Joan Meitl, the Environmental Assistance Coordinator, for the Idaho SBDC, has calculated the footprint for the state office, including transportation, building, and paper consumption impacts as a model for other small businesses. From her report, we have learned the following.

 

The State office’s total footprint is 35.17 CO2eq (metric tons). Seventy percent (24.9 metric tons) of our total was caused by our building. The Department of Energy reports an average office in a 2000 sq. ft. building generates 18 metric tons in the Pacific Northwest. Our total emissions translate into any one of the following equivalents:

• 7.61 passenger cars driven for one year
• 4,006 gallons of gasoline
• 4.51 household electricity use for one year (number of households)
• The amount of carbon sequestered in 29 acres of pine or fir forests in one year
• 0.29 acres of forest preserved from deforestation

The good news is there are many ways individuals and small businesses can make a difference by lowering their emissions. Some of these include programmable thermostats, effective use of natural lighting, alternative transportation, duplex printing, office supplies with recycled content, paper/plastic/metal recycling, double-sided printing, washable cups/utensils, and lighting reduction options. There is a wide array of emission calculators available varying in level of sophistication, but here are three to sample. 

For the full report, click here . If you have other questions, contact Joan Meitl in the state office. The business symposium to be held on January 30, 2008 will be another opportunity to learn about the impacts climate change and carbon emissions are having on small business practices. Click to register.