A new mobile application, mobGAS, can be used to track individual emissions of greenhouse gases. The application, developed by scientists in the European Union, tracks the emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane based on information on daily activities entered by the user. Users can enter the information on a website and then compare their emissions with national and international averages.
The application, available in English, Italian, German, Spanish, Slovak, and Portuguese, can be downloaded from the mobGAS website onto any of these mobile phones. MobGAS will eventually be available in 21 languages and for each of the 27 EU countries. The application is free, although users may incur data download charges from their service provider.
According to the mobGas site, the application is particularly useful on mobiles because users can enter data about activities that release emissions -- like watching television, driving, or cooking -- at any time.
It's [mobile phones] everywhere; is an accessible technological platform and is always with us. Nowadays mobile phones are much more than devices to talk. They have an enormous potential to be a source of information in those few ‘dead’ moments (seating in the bus or waiting for an appointment). It is these slots of time that mobGAS intends to take.
According to an EU spokesperson, reducing individual emissions could reduce worldwide greenhouse gases:
...Individual behaviour could, collectively, significantly reduce greenhouse gas output: One fifth of emissions come from transport use, 31% from energy production - flicking on a light switch or boiling a kettle - 21% are related to industrial processes, 9% from agriculture and 3% from waste...Lifestyle and consumer choices are key, so it is important that people are aware of the implications of their personal choices."
MobGAS will be showcased at the United Nations Climate Change Conference on December 3 in Bali.
Post new comment