Do you know where your power comes from? You can find out in a few clicks, thanks to new website CARMA.org, a database which includes 50,000 power plants worldwide--and the CO2 pollution each of them produces.
CARMA, which stands for Carbon Monitoring for Action, is the latest in a growing trend of environmental mashups--that is, applications that combine data from multiple sources to create a new tool, intuitively presenting large amounts of data. In the case of CARMA, carbon emissions data from power plants across the globe are overlaid on Google Maps, which allows immediate geographic visualization of the biggest polluters and comparison between locales. Since CO2 is by far the most abundant greenhouse gas emission worldwide, and electricity and heat production is responsible for the majority of CO2 emitted, this data bears importantly on governmental and personal action against climate change.
Power Plants with Highest Current CO2 Emissions
Source: CARMA.org, 2007
A Deep Reach of Data
Colored circles represent power plants on a scale of clean (green) to dirty (red); though this doesn't correspond directly with fuel source, the site says most red plants burn coal while green plants, producing almost no CO2, are usually hydroelectric or nuclear. A quick web search of a particular plant's name will usually provide specifics.
Like most mashups, however, CARMA's friendly graphics mask a deep reach of data--in this case, the first global inventory of emissions from electricity generation. Search by geographic region, from country all the way down to U.S. congressional district, to view a list of power plants and companies in the area. Find your local power plant and you can even zoom in on Google Maps to see an aerial picture of it. But by far the most powerful function is the 'Dig Deeper' link that appears on nearly every page; from here it's easy to navigate the many geographic layers of data and even download the data set.
Information for Action
Ultimately, the site's creators at the Center for Global Development want to equip people with information, believing that can spark public discourse and action. Already it would seem the site is meeting a demand for information, as its Wednesday launch generated so much traffic to the site that it was nearly non-navigable Thursday. Happily, though, it's running smoothly today, with stores of information awaiting you.
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EarthTrends
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Online Maps that are Worth a Thousand Words
Top photo by Bruno D Rodrigues on Flickr
