Geospatial Ecological Footprint Calculators Through Participatory and Collective Processes

Abstract

[Abstract:] The Environmental Office of the University of A Coruña has developed a series of participatory tools that calculate the carbon footprint of an individual in various areas (energy, mobility, water use, and waste generation). There are easy-to-use carbon footprint calculators available internationally, but they lack a focus on prevention and adaptation to local scenarios. Resolving this shortcoming at the Galician level was the main objective of the tools developed, aimed at the general population and particularly their use in collective projects at all levels of education. These tools make people aware of the impact on the environment and consumption habits. Formulated for educational purposes, Emapic-OMA tools contribute to the dissemination of alternatives to reduce environmental impacts, helping to move toward more sustainable lifestyles, as required by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, these online calculators allow to locate the participants. This helps to identify geographical areas with different behaviors and establish appropriate policies in each region. Each calculator works independently, but participants can associate their answers to have a more complete view of the carbon footprint they generate. Depending on the answers to the questions asked, different parameters such as CO2 emissions generated per year or amount of waste produced are calculated. The individual results are also compared with the country average and the established targets. Specific recommendations are made for each participant according to the results obtained.