Evaluation of a carbon calculator: Challenges and opportunities with calculating emissions from consumption behaviour

Abstract

viding reliable estimates of a persons impact on the environment. Similar to the majority of eco-feedback technologies that has been developed, most of these calculators are focused on providing feedback about behaviour on an individual level. Svalna, a carbon footprint calculator, make use of financial data and user generated information in order to provide feedback on a person’s green house gas emissions, but also offer a social and collective dimension not found in many other existing calculators. This thesis aimed to study how people interact and use Svalna, in order to inform further development of the tool, as well as learn more about its implications for the design of eco-feedback technologies. The results describe a range of challenges as well as opportunities with this kind of application, from participants experiencing a dissonance between their everyday life and the app, to the potential participants see in the social features available in the app.