Carbon Diem
We’re all time poor. What we intend to do may suffer simply from not finding the time to do it. Carbon Diem, an automated carbon calculator, has identified that making things easy is central to better engagement.
Knowledge is power
Anyone walking around with a smart phone has more computational power with them than desktop computers more than five years old. The real arrival of the ‘digital pocket’ is reshaping expectations about our daily processes, communications and relationships. Carbon Diem, an automated carbon calculator, uses technologies of the latest smart phones and PDAs to make it easier for people to monitor their carbon emissions and, if they choose, modify their behavior in favor of lower-carbon alternatives.
“If lots of people realize we’re in this marathon [tackling climate change] and we’re not running alone, then we actually think people will be motivated to stick to changes.”
Carbon Diem was born out of frustration with older carbon calculators that require the user to manually input data each time they travel; every form of transport they used and how long each journey took. Carbon Diem uses the GPS location embedded in smart phones and an algorithm that measures the speed and pattern of movement to identify the mode of transport. Capturing this data requires no input from the user, and is automatically collected, so companies can easily collate their carbon footprint. In 2007, the European Space Agency gave Carbon Diem software a regional award in the European satellite navigation competition.
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