How much
CO2 is that?

Examples: "1 ton", "100 pounds", "500 lbs", or "10.5 kg"

Or start with the typical annual CO2 emissions from: an average house or an average car. How about a single trans-atlantic flight in a Boeing 747?

How much co2 is that?

The term "CO2 equivalent"

The term "CO2 equivalent" is often used to express the impact of different greenhouse gases in terms of the amount of CO2 that would have the same global warming potential. It's a standard unit for measuring carbon footprints and is used to ensure that the effects of various greenhouse gases can be compared. The unit is based on the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of each gas over a certain period, which is usually 100 years.

If you're asking about "16 kg of CO2 equivalent" in the context of different gases, it means you're comparing the global warming impact of any given gas to the impact of 16 kg of CO2. Here are a few examples of what a 16 kg CO2 equivalent could represent:

  • Methane (CH4): Methane has a GWP of about 25 times that of CO2 over 100 years. 16 kg of CO2 would roughly equal 0.64 kg of methane.
  • Nitrous Oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide has a GWP of about 298 times that of CO2. Therefore, 16 kg of CO2 equivalent would be about 0.054 kg (or 53.7 grams) of N2O.
  • Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): These can have a wide range of GWPs, with some being several thousand times more potent than CO2. For an HFC with a GWP of 1,000, 16 kg of CO2 equivalent would be 0.016 kg (or 16 grams) of that HFC.

If you're asking what 16 kg of CO2 equivalent could be in terms of activities or consumption, it's a different sort of comparison. Here are a couple of examples:

  • Vehicle emissions: An average passenger vehicle emits about 404 grams of CO2 per mile. So, 16 kg of CO2 equivalent corresponds to roughly the emissions from driving 39.6 miles (16,000 grams / 404 grams/mile).
  • Electricity: The average carbon intensity of grid electricity in the U.S. is around 0.4 kg CO2 per kWh (this number can vary greatly depending on the location and the energy mix). So, 16 kg of CO2 equivalent is about the emissions from using 40 kWh of electricity.
  • Air travel: A rough estimate is that air travel emits about 0.25 kg of CO2 per passenger mile. Thus, 16 kg CO2 would equate to the emissions from a 64-mile flight per passenger.
  • Tree absorption: As mentioned before, an average tree can absorb about 22 kg of CO2 annually, so 16 kg CO2 equivalent is the amount a tree could absorb in less than a year.
When discussing "CO2 equivalents," the context is crucial to understanding what comparisons or conversions are being made.