About Our Calculations
It’s easy to get caught up in carbon credits, kilograms of emissions and all the confusing environmental language. It’s difficult to tell how much of an impact you’re having, and what you might be able to do about it. So what we’ve done is work out the level of emissions for common activities, such as driving a car. That way, you can easily understand how easy it is to make a difference, simply by using your GE Money eco MasterCard. How we made our calculations is explained here.
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Light globe used for a month = 11kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Calculated based on a 60-watt incandescent light globe, used for 5 hours per day, 365 days per year, divided by 12 months. Equivalent electricity emissions calculated based on an average of New South Wales (www.carbonneutral.com.au, Dec. 2007) and Victorian (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) electricity emissions.
Domestic flight (Sydney to Melbourne) = 214kg of greenhouse gas emissions Calculations based on a one-way Qantas Sydney to Melbourne flight (www.qantas.com.au, Dec. 2007).
Car used for a month = 400kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Annual car usage calculated based on the emissions of an average Australian car (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) multiplied by the average number of kilometres travelled per year (www.epa.gov.au, Dec. 2007), divided by 12 months.
Household for a month = 1,166kg of greenhouse gas emissions
www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007), divided by 12 months.
About the eco MasterCard examples
Large screen TV for a year = 500kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Calculations based on a large screen TV being used for 6 hours per day, for a year (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007).
500km’s of car travel = 162kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Car greenhouse gas emissions based on an average Australian car (driver only) (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007).
115,000 cars off the road = 553,846 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
Annual car usage calculated based on the emissions of an average Australian car (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) multiplied by the average number of kilometres travelled per year (www.epa.gov.au, Dec. 2007).
Average Australian person = 5,385kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Average Australian greenhouse gas emissions calculated by dividing average household greenhouse gas emissions (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) by average household size (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Year Book Australia 2007).
115,000 cars off the road = 553,846 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
Annual car usage calculated based on the emissions of an average Australian car (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) multiplied by the average number of kilometres travelled per year (www.epa.gov.au, Dec. 2007).
It’s easy to get caught up in carbon credits, kilograms of emissions and all the confusing environmental language. It’s difficult to tell how much of an impact you’re having, and what you might be able to do about it. So what we’ve done is work out the level of emissions for common activities, such as driving a car. That way, you can easily understand how easy it is to make a difference, simply by using your GE Money eco MasterCard. How we made our calculations is explained here.
Credit Card Calculator
Light globe used for a month = 11kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Calculated based on a 60-watt incandescent light globe, used for 5 hours per day, 365 days per year, divided by 12 months. Equivalent electricity emissions calculated based on an average of New South Wales (www.carbonneutral.com.au, Dec. 2007) and Victorian (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) electricity emissions.
Domestic flight (Sydney to Melbourne) = 214kg of greenhouse gas emissions Calculations based on a one-way Qantas Sydney to Melbourne flight (www.qantas.com.au, Dec. 2007).
Car used for a month = 400kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Annual car usage calculated based on the emissions of an average Australian car (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) multiplied by the average number of kilometres travelled per year (www.epa.gov.au, Dec. 2007), divided by 12 months.
Household for a month = 1,166kg of greenhouse gas emissions
www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007), divided by 12 months.
About the eco MasterCard examples
Large screen TV for a year = 500kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Calculations based on a large screen TV being used for 6 hours per day, for a year (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007).
500km’s of car travel = 162kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Car greenhouse gas emissions based on an average Australian car (driver only) (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007).
115,000 cars off the road = 553,846 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
Annual car usage calculated based on the emissions of an average Australian car (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) multiplied by the average number of kilometres travelled per year (www.epa.gov.au, Dec. 2007).
Average Australian person = 5,385kg of greenhouse gas emissions
Average Australian greenhouse gas emissions calculated by dividing average household greenhouse gas emissions (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) by average household size (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Year Book Australia 2007).
115,000 cars off the road = 553,846 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
Annual car usage calculated based on the emissions of an average Australian car (www.greenhouse.gov.au, Dec. 2007) multiplied by the average number of kilometres travelled per year (www.epa.gov.au, Dec. 2007).