D-mat proved an invaluable partner to Enfuce in building a carbon footprint calculator for the next generation. We had a chat with Dr. Lettenmeier to share some background on D-mat and also lift the lid on the methodology behind our innovative service.
What is D-mat and what is your aim as an organisation?
“Our mission is to make people and organisations enthusiastic about and active towards a sustainable future. I founded D-mat 16 years ago with the original idea to help people and organisations become more resource-efficient and to get more benefit out of less natural resources. We soon noticed that we might not be able to save the planet product by product or company by company, so we started to engage with lifestyle-based footprints. This is where people, products and companies come together, so it made sense. Now that the conversation has come into sharp focus we want to help companies and organisations help individuals reduce their impact.”
What was the thinking behind the partnership with Enfuce?
“The basic question is how to approach people and get them familiar with their individual carbon footprint. Enfuce’s idea to combine footprint data with payments data is beneficial as people tend to check their bank account and transactions regularly. This way it normalises and turns reviewing your impact into a habit that in turn will effect a change of behaviour. Put simply, if you can measure things, you can work on them.”
How is the individual carbon footprint calculated?
“We take into consideration the whole chain from the extraction of raw materials, the logistics chain, manufacturing of products, to disposing of them. This is a complex issue and the complexity increases with individual transactions. We are coming from a relatively rough system but can increase the accuracy the more it is used. In that sense, the service will improve and evolve quickly.”
Why is My Carbon Action relevant for customers and end-users?
“The advantage of My Carbon Action is that data will be provided on a constant basis so people will build a clearer picture of how their individual choices impact the climate, in this case via purchases. This is combined with suggestions for real actions. My Carbon Action is a good combination of understanding your emissions and knowing how to act to reduce them.”
In addition to doing comprehensive research, what else do you do to help consumers reduce their footprint?
“One of the projects we run is the Sustainable Lifestyles Accelerator where we organize workshops with households to make a sustainable lifestyle plan until 2030. First, each individual household builds a roadmap of goals they want to achieve, then they create a puzzle and pick different actions, both small and big, based on their current lifestyle and life situation. During the project families receive information and ideas on ways to change their lifestyles in a lower-emission direction. Almost immediately, the lifestyle carbon footprint of households participating has reduced by 10-20 %, which also has improved people’s quality of life.”
More information about My Carbon Action
About D-mat
D-mat offers services that include consultancy, education, footprint calculations and research. D-mat is specialised in carbon and material footprint calculations and calculators, as well as sustainable lifestyles. www.d-mat.fi
