Superfast broadband and carbon emissions

Superfast broadband is a new technology, and like those who built the first railway or telephone system, we don't yet know how exactly it will affect people's lives. We want to find out just how great a role that superfast broadband can play in helping us in reducing our carbon emissions. Cornwall is in a unique position to lead this research by gaining the most extensive rural superfast broadband network in Europe

Technologies enabled by superfast broadband, such as videoconferencing, help businesses reduce flighty-related carbon emissions by as much as 90%.  Cloud-based services can enable businesses to share efficient network-based servers which reduces their carbon footprint, can save money and enhances  green credentials with customers.

In the home, superfast broadband can reduce carbon emissions by enabling home working, online shopping, telecare and many other carbon-friendly applications.

To work out how superfast broadband will affect carbon emissions, we are running an innovative study until 2015. We have calculated how much carbon will be emitted in the rollout of the infrastructure, but we need your help to work out what is happening in homes and businesses.

We at Superfast Cornwall have developed an online carbon calculator which will enable you to baseline your carbon footprint and see how it changes over time as you adopt more  superfast applications. If you are a business you will be able to report to your customers that you are tracking your carbon footprint and you can promote any reductions on your website.  So, join us in putting Cornwall at the forefront of understanding the full benefits of superfast broadband by adding your data to the carbon calculator. All data will be made anonymous.

Calculate your carbon footprint

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment. Tracking your carbon footprint is the first step towards reducing it and saving money. We have developed a carbon calculator tool which will help you measure, manage and minimise the carbon footprint of your home or business. The tool measures the carbon impacts associated with electricity, heating and travel (cars, flights, etc), and there are separate carbon calculators for businesses and households:

If you're running a business, please click here to learn more and start using the carbon calculator.

If you're interested in calculating your carbon footprint at home, please click here to learn more.

And if you're interested in the real world experiences of one of our Superfast Cornwall carbon calculator users, click here.

CarbonDiem

Users of the Superfast Cornwall carbon calculator can also register for CarbonDiem; a smartphone application that automatically monitors the distance you travel on each mode of transport. The app automatically calculates the carbon emissions resulting from your travel, and this data can then be uploaded straight into the Superfast Cornwall carbon calculator, making it very easy to track your travel carbon footprint. 

If you have any queries or encounter any difficulties using the carbon calculators, please email us.