My Energy Conservation Score (ECS) is 380
Lower is better and the average score in the US is 325, so I basically am a polluting bastard. (I blame Delaware’s crappy planning and my air-travel 3 times per year)
My carbon output is 16.8 but I’m not sure what that means other than the fact that I should be truing to knock that number down a bit.
360. It’s definitely my 2 flights a year (damn round-trips). I guess most people don’t fly once a year.
361 and 16.1! Damn! I blame it on Mr. Pandora’s travel. I’m filing for divorce, unless he cleans up his act!
Jason–my score is 999! I bet they don’t get any higher. It is completely attributable to the nature of my second job–consulting work in about fifteen different states that requires 25+ flights per year.
So my question is (and I’m serious about this one) should my flights (99% required by my employer) count against my carbon footprint or his?
It seems Germane, because when I run my life through the test with the same 2 flights per year that you and geek used I actually get a 330.
So is this a real guilt-trip (you think I should quit my job because it’s bad for the environment) or an artifact of the test (which should more correctly attribute required long-range travel to my employer)?
My scores are:
384 and 17.4
I have quite a few flights per year (20+), but don’t drive so much. This year I’m getting a new central AC which I hope will cut down the electricity use ALOT. If I were smart, I’d replace the windows at my house…
I did replace the windows but there was no question about that on the test
Here’s the hard part to swallow about EarthLab: their sponsors for this project (to whom they are giving advertising space) include an airline, a credit card company, a massive retailer of paper products, a health insurance company, and the US Postal Service–all paragons of energy conservation, right?
Crap! I was totally set to smash you on this…and I did…in the wrong direction.
I barely fly (not even enough to say once a year), use CFLs, even compost (we have a veggie garden that benefits from that). Not enough of an impact against the 2-car family (my wife and I can not ride share).
442/21.3
One thing I didn’t like was the average of the thermostat setting. Since it only asked once, I went with the year-round avg, but my seasonals are quite different. Our heating average comes out to approx 65 and summer avg is approx 74. I can only imagine that would have reflected better than an all-around average of 70.
Let’s all vow to do the follow-up test in three months (as they suggest on the site). It will be interesting to see how we do.
453…damn
Smitty, I didn’t even consider the seasonal setting. We don’t have AC, so… when I said that we keep the thermostat at 65, did that count against me year round???
That’s a good question and the reason why I balked at that part of it. I guess it also depends on where the person/people who wrote it are located and if they didn’t consider other climates. I mean, if they are in a southern area, like San Diego, Miami, etc., then at 65, you just totally broiled the earth with your waste (b/c they don’t do heaters – only a/c – for the most part). Thanks a lot! However, if they are in Northern Europe, then at 65, you just saved the polar ice sheets. You rock! In my case, 70 sounds wasteful in summer or winter, but when you consider 65 in winter and 74 in summer, it’s not that bad.
There can be complaints about omissions on much of this, but overall, I think it’s awesome that someone/people went through the pains to develop that site. I do plan to try some things to get that score down (wayyyy down) for my three-month checkup. That’s why I suggested before that we all try to do that as I think it will be a cool point of discussion.
So… does this mean I’m a good person or a bad person or… am I the only person on the frickin’ earth without AC!
Scandanavians don’t have a/c! 🙂
Heat at 65? That’s what I do…you are a GOOD PERSON!
I’ll consolidate all of our scores to do a follow-up post. We’ll get some more people on board to take the 3 month challange.
I love RSmitty, despite his politics.
My politics of love? C’mon, it’s all good. Just don’t send me anonymous postcards and we’re all good. We can all have a kumbaya on Jason’s deck (if he ever builds it).
I can’t build it now can I? It has become a metaphor like the green blinking light on Gatsby’s Long Island dock.
It is an unattainable goal, like the American dream itself. It is the unreachable horizon which recedes into the future as we approach it.
Or at least that is what I have told Mrs. Liberal.
Jason, Mr. Pandora is going to kill me, but… before he went out and made his fortune, he was a contractor. He works for beer!