How we calculate your money carbon footprint

Understanding your money's carbon footprint is the crucial first step in making sure your finance funds the future you want to live in.

Why?

Because we cannot change what we cannot measure.

That’s where MotherTree comes in.

We measure the impact your money has on the planet.

And we want you to have as much faith in our process as the MotherTree boffins.

That’s why we put together this guide to show you the workings behind the world’s first money carbon calculator.

When you use our carbon calculator, we ask you a few questions about your current bank account and pension provider, such as the provider’s name and how much money you have with them.

Your money's carbon footprint is based on two figures:

Your money's carbon footprint is based on two figures:

1. Emissions intensity per bank (X): the emissions produced or funded by the bank in question (based on the sectors the bank is exposed to), divided by the assets that produced or funded these emissions.
   

2. The amount you have with the provider (Y): This is the amount you have deposited with the bank in question.
   

We then multiply the two together:

X × Y = your money's carbon footprint

It’s that simple.

And yet the equation is a powerful one.

Because there is such a big difference between the lowest carbon banks (those ruling out any fossil fuel investment such as Triodos) and those pumping cash into oil & gas.

You have a choice on the impact your money has.

You fund the future.