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Environmental Impact

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Create an account and plan your food forest to see personalized carbon and savings estimates here.

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Our Community's Collective Impact

Together, we're creating a more sustainable future, one garden at a time. Join 5 gardeners who are making a difference!

Carbon Sequestered

1.7 tons CO₂

Removed from the atmosphere annually

Transportation Savings

120.0 kg CO₂

Emissions avoided by local food production

Active Gardens

5

Food forests making an impact

Every garden counts. By creating your own food forest, you're contributing to cleaner air, reduced carbon emissions, and a healthier planet for future generations.

Start Your Food Forest

How is this calculated?

Important Note

These calculations provide educational estimates, not precise measurements. Actual environmental impact varies based on climate, soil conditions, plant maturity, maintenance practices, and many other factors. Our goal is to help you understand the magnitude and direction of positive environmental change your garden creates.

As we continue to develop this feature, we'll refine calculations with more detailed data and user inputs. We're committed to transparency and scientific accuracy in all our impact assessments.

While our environmental impact calculations attempt to use scientifically-grounded estimates based on peer-reviewed research, these are only educational approximations designed to help you understand the tangible benefits of your food forest garden.

Carbon Sequestration

Plants absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, storing carbon in their biomass and in the soil. Food forest gardens with diverse plant layers sequester significantly more carbon than traditional lawns.

Calculation Method

We calculate carbon sequestration using layer-based defaults for plant biomass accumulation:

  • Tall Trees: 22 kg CO₂ per year
  • Trees: 15 kg CO₂ per year
  • Shrubs: 5 kg CO₂ per year
  • Herbs/Groundcover: 1 kg CO₂ per year
  • Soil Organic Carbon: 0.5 kg CO₂ per m² per year

Total carbon sequestration = (Sum of all plant contributions) + (Garden area × soil carbon rate)

Scientific References

Limitations & Assumptions

  • Assumes all plants are at mature size and maximum carbon uptake
  • Uses layer-based averages rather than species-specific data
  • Regional climate variations not factored into MVP
  • Soil carbon accumulation varies by soil type and management practices

Food Miles Saved

Growing food locally eliminates the transportation emissions associated with commercial produce, which travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to table in the United States.

Calculation Method

We estimate your garden's annual yield based on area and edible plant count, then calculate the transportation emissions avoided:

  • Average food miles: 1,500 miles per pound of produce
  • Truck emissions: 0.16 kg CO₂e per ton-mile
  • Garden yield: Estimated from area and plant density

Food miles saved = Estimated yield × Average distance

Scientific References

Limitations & Assumptions

  • Yield estimates are generalized across all garden types
  • Assumes all produce would otherwise be store-bought
  • Does not account for seasonal variations in production
  • Transportation mode assumed to be refrigerated truck

Food Waste Reduction

Fresh garden produce is consumed immediately, avoiding the waste that occurs with store-bought food. Approximately 40% of produce purchased from stores is wasted, generating significant greenhouse gases from both production and decomposition.

Calculation Method

Food waste reduction accounts for both the upstream emissions from wasted production and methane emissions from landfill decomposition:

  • Waste reduction rate: 40% of equivalent store-bought produce
  • Upstream GHG: 2.5 kg CO₂e per kg of wasted food (production emissions)
  • Landfill methane: 0.5 kg CO₂e per kg of wasted food

Total avoided emissions = (Estimated yield × 0.4) × (2.5 + 0.5) kg CO₂e per kg

Scientific References

Limitations & Assumptions

  • 40% waste rate is a national average; individual behavior varies
  • Assumes garden produce is fully consumed with minimal waste
  • Does not account for preservation methods (canning, freezing)
  • Upstream emissions vary significantly by crop type

Machinery Savings

Food forest gardens require minimal maintenance compared to traditional lawns, which need regular mowing, fertilization, and irrigation. By converting lawn to food forest, you eliminate these fossil fuel-intensive activities.

Calculation Method

We calculate emissions avoided from lawn maintenance equipment and inputs:

  • Lawn maintenance emissions: 2-5 kg CO₂e per 100 m² per year
  • Includes: Gas-powered mowing, synthetic fertilizers, irrigation pumping
  • Garden area: Calculated from the outlined planting area

Machinery savings = (Garden area in m² ÷ 100) × Average emissions per 100 m²

Scientific References

Limitations & Assumptions

  • Assumes baseline of traditional lawn requiring regular maintenance
  • Does not account for electric or manual lawn equipment
  • Regional climate affects maintenance frequency and irrigation needs
  • Assumes no mechanized maintenance in food forest (hand tools only)