EcoShift Basics

1.) Track your carbon footprint.

On a montly basis, enter information your carbon usage from direct emission sources. This will allow you to create a baseline of your footprint as well as track your progress over time.

2.) Learn how to best reduce your carbon footprint.

By evaluating your footprint, including both its overall magnitude, as well as the relative contribution from your various sources, you can uncover which actions will lead to significantly reductions. Once you know, for example, that natural gas usage is your biggest contributor, you can work to understand which actions might lead to real and substantial reductions in your footprint. Then, take action!

3.) Compare your carbon footprint to your peers.

More for 'fun' than anything else, creating a challenge or contest with your neighbors or friends, however you do the comparison (total reduction, percent reduction, etc.), can be a useful motivator.

Entering Data in Ecoshift

After logging in, the first thing you need to do is create your sources (i.e. the components of your carbon footprint). These typically include home electricity, natural gas, vehicles and flights. From there, for each, proceed to the Data Entry screen. There are up to two Data Entry options for each source. Its probably easiest to start with the Detailed Entry until you are up to speed. For natural gas and electricity sources, all you need is the monthly usage number such as Therms or kWh. For automobiles, you need mileage and an estimate of mpg for each vehicle, or even better, actual gallons. Make sure after entering the information you press the save button. Then repeat the data entry for your additional sources. That's it!