Carbon-info.org, a Hampshire based environment organisation that created the UK‘s first PC based carbon footprint calculator, launches an Australian version of its popular eco-software, which identifies an individual’s carbon footprint and estimates the recurring cost of buying international carbon credits to cover annual household emissions.

After the successful launch in the United Kingdom in June 2008, Carbon-info.org’s eco-software attracted the attention of environment organisations in Australia where the ‘green debate’ continues to focus on domestic CO2 emissions and personal carbon credits as a means of managing household emissions.

ABC Carbon, a successful climate change consulting business located in Queensland, Australia, asked Carbon-info.org to develop an Australian version of the carbon calculator.

“Carbon-info.org’s PC based calculator is streets ahead of on-line calculators in terms of functionality and accuracy,” said Ken Hickson Managing Director of ABC Carbon, which has secured the exclusive rights to resell the carbon calculator throughout Australia and Tasmania

The parallel release of version 2.5 in Australia and the United Kingdom marks a significant turning point for Carbon-info.org.

“Our software will help educate UK and Australian household’s about their impact on the planet and what can be done to reduce the financial cost and emissions,” said Carbon-info.org’s chairman Flemming Bermann.

Based on an official carbon model, version 2.5 incorporates a number of new features suggested by existing users of the software. In addition to easily and accurately identifying the carbon footprint from a range of direct and indirect sources such as energy and transport, it is now also possible to write an action plan that will help households manage carbon and money saving actions. The lifestyle CO2 calculation, only found in Carbon-info.org’s software, has also been improved and made more accurate by including meat eating habits.

Addressing a significant error displayed by many on-line calculators, Carbon-info.org’s software is uniquely designed to include carbon emissions generated from a person’s lifestyle. Measured in tons of CO2, lifestyle emissions are identified through a series of graded questions about leisure activities, purchasing habits and how much beef, pork, chicken and fish is consumed.

Another unique feature allows multiple carbon footprints for consecutive periods to be compared and analysed. Any increase or reduction in carbon emissions are identified and the financial impact on the individual highlighted. Furthermore, the model can be adjusted to help ensure that calculations remain accurate until the year 2013.

The calculator is the second title in Carbon-info’s range of eco-educational software packages, which aims to educate individuals about their carbon emissions. The easy-to-operate calculator runs on a standard desktop and is supported on a range of current Windows platforms.

While aimed at adult PC users, the carbon calculator can also be utilised by parents who want to educate their children about the causes of global warming or as an effective learning tool in primary and secondary education.