1. What is meant by "recreation"? There are too many different forms of recreation to show in the Climate Change Calculator. Instead, the Climate Change Calculator shows a few different kinds of recreational vehicles so that you can see how each one of them produces different amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. The types of recreational vehicles shown are: • small engine boat, with a 10- to 15-horsepower outboard motor • a power boat with a 100-horsepower inboard or outboard motor • a large cruiser boat, with twin diesel engines • a sea-doo • a small-engine aircraft (single-engine Cessna 172 or similar aircraft) • an RV (motor home) • a camper trailer (hard or soft top) • an all-terrain vehicle If you use a snowmobile for recreation, you can select it in the "user definition" screen under personal vehicle information. You can then see your personal emissions from using your snowmobile by answering the questions in the local travel or out-of-town travel screens. For small-engine boats, power boats, cruisers, sea-doos and small aircraft, estimate the number of hours you use the vehicle over the course of one year. Except for aircraft, you probably only use these vehicles during the summer and fall. If you don't use these vehicles all year round, just estimate the number of hours you use them in the seasons they are used. For recreational vehicles, camper trailers and ATVs, estimate the number of kilometres you drive with these vehicles. You probably only use these vehicles during the summer and fall. If you don't use these vehicles all year round, just estimate the number of hours you use them in the seasons they are used.
2. How are my recreation emissions calculated? The amount of fuel used by different types of recreational vehicles were established by working with manufacturers and dealers, and are based on tests or estimates. In the case of different types of boats, sea-doos and aircraft, the energy consumption estimates are based on one hour of vehicle operation. For RVs and ATVs, the estimates are based on consumption per kilometre travelled. For camper trailers, the extra fuel consumed by a car pulling the trailer one kilometre was estimated. These fuel consumption estimates are then multiplied by the number of hours of operation or kilometres driven to arrive at a total fuel consumption estimate. The amount of fuel used is then multiplied by an "emissions factor" - the known amount of greenhouse gases produced when, say, a litre of gasoline is consumed.. Total emissions produced for each type of recreational vehicle are then added together and displayed on your personal emissions bar at the top of the screen.
3. What about other recreational activities? Many recreational activities involve taking a car, airplane, bus or train somewhere. The portion of your recreational activities that involves these modes of transportation can be counted using the local travel or out-of-town travel screens. If you have a cottage or summer home, you can create a new file in the Climate Change Calculator, and then use the home heating, hot water and appliances screens to estimate your greenhouse gas emissions from using your cottage or summer home. You can adjust your cottage emissions based on the number of days you spend there. For example, if you spend 90 days per year at the cottage, divide your emissions by one quarter. If you only use the cottage during the summer, don't enter anything in the home heating screen.
There are many other recreational activities that produce no or very few greenhouse gas emissions. Sailing, kayaking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking and cycling are examples of recreational activities that produce no greenhouse gas emissions at all. Other activities, such as downhill skiing, produce only small amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.