Conversion Project – Carbon Emissions
In this project, you will estimate how much CO2 you cause to be produced each year from the various sources of your energy usage; you will estimate the cost associated with that energy usage; and you will develop a realistic strategy for reducing your CO2 by 2000 pounds per year with a projected cost savings.
Spreadsheet 1
Create a spreadsheet which calculates the CO2 produced in a year from your electricity and gasoline consumption using the outline below. You will list each of your sources of electricity usage, each source of stand-by power usage, and your gasoline consumption. You will enter estimates of usage for each line item and use Excel formulas to calculate the CO2 produced. It is important to properly use Excel to perform the calculations, so that you can use this spreadsheet to develop a reduction strategy later. You will be graded on your use of formulas.
Clearly Label your column headings. Read through the requirements below and map out how you will organize your spreadsheet. The project worksheet table included in these instructions can help get you started.
Name your spreadsheet and provide your own name in your spreadsheet.
Electricity Usage
List at least 6 appliances you use regularly
List at least 4 “energy vampire” appliances which apply to you
Enter the wattage for each appliance. You can either use the wattage reported in the book, or check your own appliances for exact wattage (refer to pages 102 and 103)
Enter your estimate of daily hours of usage for each appliance in your spreadsheet
Use Excel formulas to determine an annual estimate of usage in kilowatt-hours for each appliance
Use Excel formulas to convert your annual kilowatt-hours to pounds of CO2 produced
Gasoline Consumption (refer to pages 98, 99):
Estimate the miles you drive (daily or weekly) and your fuel efficiency in miles per gallon (this can be found at https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.shtml or similar website). If you do not drive yourself, estimate the mileage you ride in automobiles to the best of your ability and address this in your reflection paper.
Use Excel formulas to determine how many gallons of gas you use.
Use Excel formulas to convert your gasoline consumption to pounds of CO2 produced in a year.
Calculate the total pounds of CO2 produced from your electricity and gasoline by using Excel. Be sure to clearly label this total.
Estimate the annual cost for each of your listed appliances, for your energy vampires, and for your gasoline consumption. Use a cost of $.15 per kWh for power consumption. Estimate your annual cost for gasoline by using the most recent price you paid at the pump. Note: If you used mileage to determine your CO2 consumption for gasoline, you will now need to calculate the gallons of gasoline that you use.
Calculate the total cost of your electricity and gasoline using the Excel. Be sure to clearly label this total.
Spreadsheet 2
Develop a strategy to reduce your CO2 production by 2000 lbs. per year. You can copy your first spreadsheet into another Excel sheet and make changes to the hours of electricity and amount of gasoline that you currently estimate for yourself. If you have entered formulas correctly, the spreadsheet will automatically update the changes in the amount of CO2 and the costs. For example, suppose your TV usage produces 100 lbs. of CO2 each year. If you reduce your television viewing by half in favor of reading novels for entertainment, then your CO2 should decrease by 50 lbs.

MATH123 Quantitative Reasoning Project II – Due October 25th

Your strategy must be realistic; you are not allowed to stop using all refrigerators to achieve the 2000 lb goal for example.

Click on this + button to add a sheet to your Excel file, then copy your entire Sheet 1 and paste it into Sheet 2 to make your changes.

Also estimate the cost savings from your strategy. Again, if your formulas are entered correctly, the spreadsheet should do the calculations for you, and you can see how much the cost decreases. For example, suppose your first spreadsheet shows an annual cost of $100 in electricity to operate your TV. If you decrease your television viewing by half, then your annual cost should decrease by $50.
Highlight your strategic changes in this second spreadsheet. Clearly label your CO2 reduction and associated cost savings.
Reflection Paper
Write a reflection paper which is at least one page in length. You should have many things to say about this project. Be sure to include the following:
What were some of the appliances you picked for this project?
Justify why your hours of usage values for your appliances are accurate. Explain some of your values.
Justify why your miles driven value is accurate. Explain how you determined your usage.
How did you calculate CO2 production from electricity?
How did you calculate CO2 from gasoline consumption?
What was your strategy to reduce your CO2 footprint?
Why is your plan feasible?
In addition to addressing the statements above, your paper should:
Be well organized and easy to follow.
Have clearly labeled columns and statistics.
Have titles and labels on graphs.
The paper should be in paragraph form (not just bulleted answers!).
Be clear to someone who is not familiar with the project.
Provide support for your statements e.g. explain how values were found.
Give specific values (i. e. quantify statements).
Use appropriate representations (tables, color, formatting) that help the reader understand the project.

MATH123 Quantitative Reasoning Project II – Due October 25th

Project should be your original work. Copying someone else’s work is cheating. Sharing your work with someone else is cheating.

Getting started worksheet

Appliance
Wattage
Usage Estimate
Electricity Usage from Appliances
(hours)

Stand-by Power Usage
(hours)

Gasoline Consumption
(Select one)

Gallons of Gas or

Miles Driven

Project checklist:
Put your name on your spreadsheet
Give your spreadsheet a title
Clearly label your columns in your spreadsheet
List at least 6 appliances you use regularly
List at least 4 energy vampires which apply to you
List your estimated gasoline usage
Use an Excel formula to convert your usage to your annual usage for each source (each line)
Use an Excel formula to convert usage to CO2 production for each source
Estimate your CO2 from gasoline consumption
Use an Excel formula to sum your CO2 for the year
Clearly label your total CO2 estimate for the year
Use an Excel formula to estimate the cost associated with each source
Clearly label your cost estimate for the year

MATH123 Quantitative Reasoning Project II – Due October 25th

Copy spreadsheet 1 to another “sheet” and re-name this sheet as your strategy for reducing your CO2
Use this second spreadsheet to alter your estimated activity time and usage to develop a reduction of CO2 by 2000 lb. for a year
Clearly label your strategic changes
Write a reflection paper about this project which includes your current CO2
Summarize your strategy to reduce CO2 in your written report
Be sure to include your cost savings in your report