The average Travis County resident was responsible for about 15 metric tons of CO2 emissions from energy use in 2010. The average U.S. citizen is responsible for roughly 19 metric tons, and the average Texas resident is responsible for about 25 metric tons. Travis County residents’ per capita carbon footprints are 21 percent smaller than the U.S. citizen’s carbon footprint and 40 percent smaller than the average Texas citizen’s carbon footprint.

Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory

The Austin Climate Protection Program calculates human-caused greenhouse gas emissions in the Travis County area through a community greenhouse gas inventory every three years. The inventory takes data from energy, water, transportation, materials and waste emissions sources and converts them to a CO2 emission equivalent, helping us to monitor emissions levels, reductions and develop reduction strategies. The inventory is developed using anonymous electricity use information for Austin homes and businesses provided to us by Austin Energy as well as modeled data based on population and usage patterns, such as estimates of the number of vehicle miles traveled countywide.

Community Climate Action

In 2010, a group of community stakeholders brainstormed actions that residents and businesses can take to reduce their carbon emissions, some of which are already being carried out. Austin Climate Protection Program staff are building on the foundation of that initial set of solutions, ensuring that the Imagine Austin comprehensive plan aligns and developing initiatives designed to make greenhouse gas reductions easier to achieve. Meanwhile, with the help of dedicated stakeholders, the recommended actions have been distilled into a forthcoming roadmap to continue to guide the reduction of the community’s greenhouse gas emissions across the region.

Local Carbon Offsets

A carbon offset is a purchase that reduces global CO2 emissions to compensate for those we can’t yet eliminate ourselves. The Austin Climate Protection Program is working on the first local carbon offsets based on worthy projects you can see for yourself in the community. Austin Energy is funding the projects and verifying the offsets, and they’ll be available to purchase here soon.