Carbon handprint is a concept that is used to measure the positive impact of an action, product, or service on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. It’s the opposite of a carbon footprint, which measures the negative impact of human activities on the environment.

While carbon footprint focuses on the negative impact of an individual, organisation or industry, carbon handprint highlights the positive environmental actions taken to reduce carbon emissions, improve resource efficiency, and promote sustainable practices. This could include reducing waste, using renewable energy, adopting low-carbon transport options, and improving energy efficiency.

The carbon handprint concept can help individuals and organisations identify and communicate their positive environmental impacts and encourage them to take further action to mitigate climate change. It promotes a more optimistic and proactive approach to addressing the climate crisis, focusing on the positive impact of environmental activities.

Calculating our carbon footprint and handprint can provide several benefits for both individuals and the environment. A carbon footprint measures the amount of greenhouse gases produced by our activities. It can help identify areas where we can reduce emissions by changing our behaviour or using energy-efficient products. The handprint measures our positive actions to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability, such as supporting renewable energy or volunteering for environmental organisations.

You become carbon neutral when you have a handprint and a footprint equal in size. You’re not putting out any more than you’re taking back in (or offsetting). If your handprint continues to grow and becomes more significant than your footprint, you’ve become climate positive.

What actions do you take to be more carbon efficient?