Carbon Footprint
Carbon Emissions
The Carbon Footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases — primarily CO₂ — emitted directly or indirectly by an activity, product, or individual, expressed in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
How it works #
For urban commuting, the calculation is direct: a car stuck in Rome traffic produces an average of 120-150 g of CO₂ per kilometer. In congested traffic even more, because the engine idles consuming fuel without moving. A bicycle produces zero direct emissions.
What it’s for #
It quantifies the environmental impact of mobility choices. If just 10% of Roman commuters switched to cycling, approximately 150,000 tonnes of CO₂ would be saved per year — equivalent to planting 7 million trees. It’s not idealism, it’s arithmetic.
Why it matters #
The commuting carbon footprint is an externalized cost that nobody pays directly but everyone suffers: air pollution, climate change, healthcare costs. The choice between car and bike is not just personal — it has a measurable collective impact.