The Clearwater Carbon Calculator© Andre Mele Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. 112 Little Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 845-454-7673   For information, contact Manna Jo Greene, extension 113. mannajo@clearwater.org |  Press Release  |  Theory  |  Download  |  Instructions  |  Case Study  | What is the Carbon Calculator? The Clearwater Carbon Calculator is a tool designed to help people who are concerned about the environment. According to many polls, more than 75% of America’s citizens describe themselves as ‘environmentalists’. How does it work? The Calculator is a pre-programmed spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. Most late-model computers have come with Excel already installed. By following the simple instructions that come with the Calculator, any person who can use a computer can successfully complete it. I’m not a math whiz. Is the Calculator hard to do? It’s really easy. You simply enter the requested information into the highlighted boxes, and the Calculator does all the math automatically, as you go. You will be able to complete most of the Calculator in an hour or so. The hardest part will be finding the patience to wait while you gather information on the paper and trash that go through your house! Some people estimate the numbers, and then enter updated data later. What does it do? The Calculator gives its users a complete, detailed understanding of their environmental impact. It gives its users the power of choice by giving them needed information. Why is it important? Until now, consumers have never been able to control their own environmental impact. In the fight to eliminate pollution, one whole side of the economic picture—the consumer, or ‘demand’ side—has been left in the dark. That’s why there is still pollution, despite decades of regulation on the producer—‘supply’—side. If I do the Calculator, will I have to make sacrifices? Not necessarily. You may find that you can reduce your environmental impact with no sacrifice at all—and you might even save money. Pollution is waste, after all, and waste costs money. Will it make a difference? If the Calculator catches on, it could have a real impact on the way people buy and make plans. That would change the way manufacturers design and market their products. Is there any profit motive in the Calculator? None that we know of—it’s free! The goal is to create a win-win scenario, where consumers and producers work together for a better world, using the untapped power of the marketplace.   Instructions for the Clearwater Carbon Calculator© Save the Clearwater Carbon Calculator© to an appropriate folder, load a current version of Excel, and then open the Calculator in Excel. Enter the data required in all of the white cells outlined in black borders. Please DO NOT make changes in cells that are not white, as this will corrupt the spreadsheet and produce inaccurate results. If the appropriate value is zero, enter zero. Follow the protocols for entering data in Excel. If you have any problems, consult Excel’s Help function. DO NOT enter units (e.g. $, lbs., etc.). The appropriate units are described and embedded in the file’s pre-programmed calculations. Just the numbers, please. Some of the data points might require up to a month of monitoring your waste streams. It is important that you take no shortcuts, and gather your data accurately. You will be tempted to estimate data in order to complete the Calculator. By all means do so, but DO NOT forget to gather the data to produce a final impact assessment that is accurate and credible. Begin to seek ways to reduce your carbon emissions by following one of the three paradigms listed at the end of the spreadsheet. Click here to download the Clearwater Carbon Calculator© |  Press Release  |  Theory  |  Download  |  Instructions  |  Case Study  |