How to Calculate an Eco-Footprint

What is an eco-footprint? Simply stated, it's a cost estimate of the energy and ecological costs of a project. Eco-footprints are extremely useful today as leaders across the world examine the ecological impact of everything from building to feeding the population. Becoming a skilled provider of eco-footprints is a job in and of itself, and requires fairness, and dedication to thorough research.

Instructions

• 1

  Inventory the materials needed. Take a look at the raw materials for any project and factor that into your estimate. The raw materials are one of the most obvious expenses and are usually added first.

• 2

  Factor in all fuel used for transport. Much of the bloating of an eco-footprint comes from factoring in the sometimes immense amount of fuel it takes to get all of the materials and/or labor in place. People talk about "fuel-drenched" food: this is regarding the fuel that it takes to bring a plate of food to you. Calculating this figure can be alarming.

• 3

  Factor in labor or physical energy expended. This is useful in building projects, or again in food distribution. Labor costs add to your eco-footprint as part of the expense of a project, again tied into the use of fuel or expended energy.

• 4

  Use common sense. Develop your eco-footprint guide with clear, rational estimates of energy expenditures and fuel costs. Track the real numbers through the process and be able to defend any of your estimates to challengers. It helps to compare the eco-footprint of a new project to an old project precedent so you know you're not entirely off track, since eco-footprint estimates tend to be a bit subjective.

• 5

  Add in sustainable results. Here's one factor that actually lowers the final total of your eco-footprint: any energy savings that will occur over time and use. Defenders of recycling or reuse projects can proudly claim these "eco-deductions" on a project. As in finance, it takes ecological impact to make ecological reform.