+keehotee Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) Apologies in advance - I got bored at work....... I got thinking about how environmentally friendly (or harmful) caching was, and decided to rough out a geo-carbon-footprint formula. I've had to make a few assumptions - every cacher drives a car between 1.4 and 2 litres, all mainland UK caches are equally spaced, this totally neglects long-walk-multiple-find days, and all finds are on the British mainland,..... Geo-footprint = f/y * 0.266 (* is multiply ) where f= your total finds, y= time caching, in years, and 0.266 is a constant based on the emissions from an average car, an estimate of the total caches in the UK, and the average distance between caches. I get a figure of 46.284 ---- that's over 46kg of carbon, on average, for every year I've been caching. How bad is your geo-footprint??? Edited February 19, 2009 by keehotee Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I get a bit twitchy around random asterisks. I presume in this case it's just 'multiply'? MrsB Quote Link to comment
+ClareLouise Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 This, of course, presumes that you use a car when caching... Most of my finds are done on my own, and as I don't drive, are either on foot, or public transport... But I'd be interested in figuring out a way of working that out... Quote Link to comment
+keehotee Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 I get a bit twitchy around random asterisks. I presume in this case it's just 'multiply'? MrsB * is indeed multiply...... Quote Link to comment
+keehotee Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 This, of course, presumes that you use a car when caching... Most of my finds are done on my own, and as I don't drive, are either on foot, or public transport... But I'd be interested in figuring out a way of working that out... Your eco-friendly-public-transport-biased footprint = f/y * 0.1 The constant this time based on 10 times more people on the bus .... but 2.5 times the emissions with an extra element because the bus runs all day regardless of whether there's anybody on it..... Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Using y = 4.75 and y = 581, I get 32.536. But as there's usually 2 of us, that's 2*2 feet, so can we declare 8.134 of carbon per foot? A 'QI' calculation anyway - it passed a few minutes while I ate my egg mayo sarnie for lunch. MrsB Quote Link to comment
+jerryo Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 75kg. But I don't care. Quote Link to comment
+MartyBartfast Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) This, of course, presumes that you use a car when caching... Most of my finds are done on my own, and as I don't drive, are either on foot, or public transport... But I'd be interested in figuring out a way of working that out... Your eco-friendly-public-transport-biased footprint = f/y * 0.1 The constant this time based on 10 times more people on the bus .... but 2.5 times the emissions with an extra element because the bus runs all day regardless of whether there's anybody on it..... I've got 36.245 but in my defence I would say: Quite a lot have been done on a pushbike (what's the footprint for that I wonder?) Quite a lot have been done when I had to be somewhere for another reason and just picked up the cache while in the area. Quite a lot have been done by train + foot/bike. I did one armchair cache which meant I didn't even have to leave the house. Edited February 19, 2009 by MartyBartfast Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) 75kg. But I don't care. You need to get greener, man... Now... where to put that micro? MrsB Edited February 19, 2009 by The Blorenges Quote Link to comment
+Jonovich Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 53.2Kg Carbon footpint 10.64Kg Methane footprint J Quote Link to comment
+wkmccall Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Apologies in advance - I got bored at work....... I got thinking about how environmentally friendly (or harmful) caching was, and decided to rough out a geo-carbon-footprint formula. I've had to make a few assumptions - every cacher drives a car between 1.4 and 2 litres, all mainland UK caches are equally spaced, this totally neglects long-walk-multiple-find days, and all finds are on the British mainland,..... Geo-footprint = f/y * 0.266 (* is multiply ) where f= your total finds, y= time caching, in years, and 0.266 is a constant based on the emissions from an average car, an estimate of the total caches in the UK, and the average distance between caches. I get a figure of 46.284 ---- that's over 46kg of carbon, on average, for every year I've been caching. How bad is your geo-footprint??? I personally try to make my carbon footprint as large as humanly possible by driving a 12 cylinder pickup and leaving it running whenever I get to to find a cache. I lock the doors of course...... And,, I only go for caches at least 100+ miles away. Quote Link to comment
+PSHAX Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 75kg. But I don't care. Mine came out at 21.9184kg.. But I am sure the calc is wrong.... I have a petrol turbo car, and it definitely aint economic to drive and the rfl is mentally expensive!!! I reckon my figure should be close to infinity. I am also a member of the "I don't care club" !!!!! Quote Link to comment
+jerryo Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 75kg. But I don't care. You need to get greener, man... Now... where to put that micro? MrsB Socks with sandals? I think not! Quote Link to comment
+Munkeh Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 This, of course, presumes that you use a car when caching... Most of my finds are done on my own, and as I don't drive, are either on foot, or public transport... But I'd be interested in figuring out a way of working that out... you just order someone else to drive Quote Link to comment
+Munkeh Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 75kg. But I don't care. You need to get greener, man... Now... where to put that micro? MrsB Socks with sandals? I think not! you aint seen MrsB's waders, they go up to her ears! Quote Link to comment
+SidAndBob Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I get a bit twitchy around random asterisks. I presume in this case it's just 'multiply'? MrsB * is indeed multiply...... I suspect you have an IT related job. Quote Link to comment
+qichina Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) Hi Keehotee, I think you are making a good point, and it's something that concerns me. It's about striking a balance - no-one wants to give up all leisure pursuits that create a large carbon footprint, but at the same time (I think) it's good to try to minimise the impact of geocaching on the environment. For me the balance is about how long it takes to get to an area with caches by car/bus, compared with how long I am actually out "in the field" hunting around. My conscience feels better if I've spent at least as much time walking in between caches as the time it took to drive there and back. That of course rules out purely dash'n'cache runs in the car, unless they are on the way home... Shameless plug: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...d3-8ac03aab3f27 Edited February 20, 2009 by qichina Quote Link to comment
+*mouse* Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I've got a caching footprint of 69.92kg. Dread to think how much it will increase if I was able to include next months trip to 6+ Nations event in Dublin!! Quote Link to comment
+Stuey Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 137.43... but if you add that the I went caching in Dublin three times in 8 weeks (6 flights) I susepct it is quite a bit higher recently! <ignorant> I also, don't care. </ignorant> Quote Link to comment
+Gushoneybun Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 144.7kg I would say I do find a lot when working so very little direct CO2 was created as I was there anyway, but we did recently fly to America so probably created a lot, lot more than the savings made when working! Can someone please put more caches near my home so I can save the world we have only got four unfound within 10 miles of home Quote Link to comment
+Cornell Finch Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 So, how do I calculate based on one sixth of a year caching. That's give or take by the way, first find was 03/01.09. Quote Link to comment
+keehotee Posted February 20, 2009 Author Share Posted February 20, 2009 So, how do I calculate based on one sixth of a year caching. That's give or take by the way, first find was 03/01.09. (34/ 0.1666666666) *.266 = 54kg/year Quote Link to comment
+PSHAX Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 75kg. But I don't care. Mine came out at 21.9184kg.. But I am sure the calc is wrong.... I have a petrol turbo car, and it definitely aint economic to drive and the rfl is mentally expensive!!! I reckon my figure should be close to infinity. I am also a member of the "I don't care club" !!!!! OH FEK! I just did the calculation for my car and the 14,000 miles I have done in it in the past 15 months..... 4.85 TONNES of CO2!!! So, it looks like global warming is down to me alone.... Quote Link to comment
+currykev Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I believe my methane footprint far outweighs my carbon one! Quote Link to comment
+PSHAX Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I believe my methane footprint far outweighs my carbon one! Isn't methane a worse "greenhouse gas" than CO2? Quote Link to comment
+jerryo Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Hi Keehotee, I think you are making a good point, and it's something that concerns me. It's about striking a balance - no-one wants to give up all leisure pursuits that create a large carbon footprint, but at the same time (I think) it's good to try to minimise the impact of geocaching on the environment. For me the balance is about how long it takes to get to an area with caches by car/bus, compared with how long I am actually out "in the field" hunting around. My conscience feels better if I've spent at least as much time walking in between caches as the time it took to drive there and back. That of course rules out purely dash'n'cache runs in the car, unless they are on the way home... Shameless plug: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...d3-8ac03aab3f27 I think it's an amusing point, rather than a good one. What difference does it make in the face of all the industrial pollution throughout the world? What is it they say? China's commissioning 2 coal-fired power stations a week. Quote Link to comment
+ITCHYthirdEYE Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I'VE JUST STARTED AND HAD'NT THOUGHT OF THIS PROBLEM.I'M NOW SO CONCERNED I WILL STOP IMMEDIATLEY NOT. THINK I WILL ALSO JOIN THE "WHO CARES CLUB" WHERE IS IT? HOPEI NEED TO FLY THERE LOL Quote Link to comment
+qichina Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I think it's an amusing point, rather than a good one. What difference does it make in the face of all the industrial pollution throughout the world? What is it they say? China's commissioning 2 coal-fired power stations a week. It's true that emerging economies in China and India are adding to the problem the west ahas already created. However, a lot here think CITO caching is worthwhile, even though there are piles of litter and fly-tipping all over the place. There's a good article in the NY Times that discusses the "Why bother?" attitude. : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine...ede-t.html?_r=1 It's more about a sense of personal responsibility - so just because the neighbour throws his rubbish all over the street, doesn't mean it's ok for you to do as well! Vaclav Havel has talked about cultivating in people "a new sense of responsibility for the world, an ability to conduct themselves as if they were to live on this earth forever, and to be held answerable for its condition one day". Quote Link to comment
+jerryo Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I think it's an amusing point, rather than a good one. What difference does it make in the face of all the industrial pollution throughout the world? What is it they say? China's commissioning 2 coal-fired power stations a week. It's true that emerging economies in China and India are adding to the problem the west ahas already created. However, a lot here think CITO caching is worthwhile, even though there are piles of litter and fly-tipping all over the place. There's a good article in the NY Times that discusses the "Why bother?" attitude. : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine...ede-t.html?_r=1 It's more about a sense of personal responsibility - so just because the neighbour throws his rubbish all over the street, doesn't mean it's ok for you to do as well! Vaclav Havel has talked about cultivating in people "a new sense of responsibility for the world, an ability to conduct themselves as if they were to live on this earth forever, and to be held answerable for its condition one day". CITO is totally different. You can make a difference with that - I have attended several CITO events and I'll carry a bag through the woods to clear up as I go. You can see the difference that makes, but the gaseous environmental hype that the government subjects us to is a different matter. It would be better to reduce the emission of pollutants, of course I agree with that, but when compared with the global output of cr.ap, an individual may as well just **** into the wind. Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 As I usually car-share when caching, can I halve my figures? I also cyclocache when I can and have been known to walk 18+ miles in a day caching. I own a garden and houseplants, which take in CO2 and release oxygen, so I feel I'm doing my bit. Quote Link to comment
+sonatellas Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 (edited) When Lord and Lady Sonatella leave their residence (Forkham Hall), Lady Sonatella works within walking distance. Lord Sonatella rides his bike to work. We have taken steps not fly for the last three years and when we do drive in the city during the week we only take a very small car or walk. During the weekend we take Clive Bongo out and go caching. We tend to plot our route do as many caches as possible on foot. Not sure what our carbon footprint is as I am far to dense to work it out lol. We just try to do our best. It is a very interesting subject and has got us pondering. Edited February 21, 2009 by sonatellas Quote Link to comment
+currykev Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I believe my methane footprint far outweighs my carbon one! Isn't methane a worse "greenhouse gas" than CO2? yes....that was my point! Eating more cows will help too! Quote Link to comment
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