Scenic America's Carbon Calculator
Image credit: Ruize Li, Unsplash
About the Carbon Calculator:
Trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide (CO₂), mitigating urban heat, preventing erosion, and enhancing the natural beauty of America’s landscapes. Yet, in 35 states, outdoor advertising companies are legally allowed to clear trees solely to improve billboard visibility. As a result, over 11 million trees have been lost, leading to an estimated 10 million tons of carbon sequestration lost over time—an impact equivalent to putting 3.5 million cars on the road for one year.
Scenic America’s Carbon Calculator was developed to bring clarity and precision to this issue, leveraging tree canopy data from the U.S. Forest Service, state vegetation management policies, and a nationwide billboard inventory to estimate both tree loss and its long-term carbon impact.
Using the Carbon Calculator:
- A marker is automatically placed on the map based on the default coordinates (Scenic America’s Headquarters).
- You can move the marker or adjust the latitude and longitude in the Location Settings box.
- You can adjust the distance from the road and select ‘V-shaped/Back-to-Back’ if applicable in the Calculation Settings.
- The information box displays marker details in real-time.