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Carbon Calculator for your holidays

So you've packed the suitcases. Printed the boarding pass if you're flying. Got the bucket and spade and the suncream. Your vacation starts here. But what's the impact of your summer holiday? And how can you ensure you still have a great time, but in a more sustainable manner?

Those clever people in the Online Solutions team within WSP Environment & Energy's Australian business have developed an online carbon calculator to assess the impact of the transport, accommodation and recreation aspects of a holiday for their fellow Australians.

WSP was commissioned by the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC). This body is the world's largest dedicated tourism research organisation and was formed to underpin the development of a dynamic, internationally competitive and sustainable Australian tourism industry. Their brief was for a simple online calculator to help Australians understand the potential carbon emissions from their typical holiday, encouraging tourists to be more aware of how their activities impact the environment and understand how to reduce emissions.

Our sustainability and web specialists in Melbourne advised on the science behind the calculator and programmed and designed the online interface. The calculator accounts for air, road (both car and bus), rail and boat travel, and also assesses different types of accommodation and all types of activity, including the different types of places you visit, what you eat, and even your shopping habits! At each stage the online tool provides helpful advice on how to lower your emissions and there are links to carbon offset providers. Ultimately the calculator provides users with a breakdown of the carbon kilogram emissions for each aspect of their holiday.

View the calculator.

To discuss how this clever technology can be applied and adapted to other impact related issues, please email: ashley.herring@wspgroup.com