What is a carbon footprint?

We each affect our environment in many different ways - driving, flying, heating our homes, even the type of food we eat makes a difference. With all these different things to think about, it's hard to work out your overall impact.

The answer? Your carbon footprint - a single figure that gives you a quick idea of your impact on the environment. Carbon footprints are easy to calculate, compare and understand - here we explain the basics to get you started.

• What do we mean by carbon?
• What is a carbon footprint?
• Why do we use carbon footprints?
• How can you measure your carbon footprint?
• How to reduce your carbon footprint

What do we mean by carbon?

When people talk about carbon emissions and carbon footprints, they usually mean carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

CO ₂ is released when we burn carbon-based fuels. Almost all fuels are carbon-based, including:

• petrol and diesel in our cars
• coal, oil and gas in our power stations (and homes)
• jet fuel in aeroplanes

CO₂ is a greenhouse gas - it traps the sun's heat and keeps the earth warm. Too much CO₂ in the air leads to climate change, also known as global warming.

Other greenhouse gases, such as methane, also contribute to climate change. Countries and organisations count these as part of their carbon emissions. But for individuals the most important carbon emission is CO₂.

Find out more about the science of climate change

What is a carbon footprint?

Your carbon footprint is the amount of CO₂ that enters the atmosphere because of the electricity and fuel you use and the products you buy. It's measured in tonnes of CO₂.

Your carbon footprint mostly depends on:

• how much energy you use to heat your home
• the electronics and appliances you use
• what kind of transport you use day-to-day
• how often you fly

Why do we use carbon footprints?

Knowing your carbon footprint helps you understand your impact on the environment - and, more importantly, find easy ways to reduce that impact.

In 2006 the UK produced 554 million tonnes of CO₂ - around 9 tonnes for every person. Some of this is produced by business and industry - but more than 40% comes directly from individual people.

If every household in the UK reduced their carbon footprint by just one and a half tonnes they could each save £340 a year and we could cut the national CO₂ emissions by 7%.

How can you measure your carbon footprint?

You can estimate you carbon footprint using our online calculator called the carbon cutter

• You enter details about your home, your travel and your appliances.
• The calculator estimates how many tonnes of CO₂ you produce each year.

Calculate your carbon footprint using our carbon cutter

How to reduce your carbon footprint

Our carbon cutter looks at the details of your life and gives you a personal action plan to help you reduce your carbon footprint. It might include things like:

• insulating your home
• buying energy efficient appliances
• switching off electronics at the wall
• walking, cycling or using public transport
• holidaying closer to home

The UK aims to reduce CO₂ emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. To help make that happen, we should all aim to achieve a low carbon footprint.

Find out more about what's being done throughout the UK to reduce CO₂ emissions

Pushed for time? Try our energy saving checklist for quick and easy ways to save energy and money

Find out more

• Read more about your impact on climate change
• Try out our carbon cutter