The carbon footprint page tracks the environmental impact of your rental operations. It calculates CO2 emissions from booking usage hours, visualizes trends over time, and reports on offset contributions through RentalTide's climate program.
How emissions are calculated
Emissions are estimated based on two factors:
- Usage hours -- the system calculates total equipment usage hours from each booking's start and end times, capping at 8 hours per day for multi-day rentals.
- Emission rate -- a configurable rate of CO2 emitted per hour of equipment operation (default: 10 kg CO2 per hour).
The formula is:
For multi-day bookings, each day is calculated independently with an 8-hour cap per day.
Headline metrics
Four cards are displayed at the top of the page:
| Metric | Description | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Total Emissions | Estimated CO2 in kilograms from all rental activity | Sum of per-booking emissions |
| RentalTide Offset | CO2 offset through RentalTide's climate program | 10% of total emissions |
| Trees Equivalent | Trees needed to absorb the equivalent CO2 | Total emissions / 21.7 kg per tree per year |
| Miles Equivalent | Equivalent car miles driven | Total emissions x 2.47 miles per kg |
The offset percentage shows what portion of your total emissions is covered by the RentalTide climate program.
Charts
Emissions trend
An area chart showing CO2 emissions per booking over time. Each data point represents one booking plotted on the date it started. Use this chart to identify seasonal patterns, the impact of fleet changes, or the effect of operational improvements.
Impact breakdown
A pie chart splitting total emissions into two segments:
- Direct Emissions -- the net emissions after offsets (total minus offset).
- Offset by RentalTide -- the portion offset through the climate program (10% of total).
This visualization helps communicate your environmental commitment to customers and stakeholders.
Trend indicator
The page calculates an emissions trend by comparing the last three bookings against the three before them:
| Indicator | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Up arrow | Emissions per booking are increasing |
| Down arrow | Emissions per booking are decreasing |
| Stable | No significant change |
A downward trend indicates that your operations are becoming more environmentally efficient, whether through shorter rental durations, more efficient equipment, or operational changes.
Booking detail table
Below the charts, a table lists individual bookings with their emissions data:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Booking ID | Link to the booking record |
| Start Date | When the rental began |
| End Date | When the rental ended |
| Duration (hours) | Calculated usage hours (capped at 8 per day) |
| CO2 Emitted (kg) | Estimated emissions for this booking |
Click a booking ID to navigate to the booking details page.
Data source
The carbon footprint page pulls data from your booking records. It includes all bookings with valid start and end dates, regardless of status. The calculations run client-side using your booking data, so no separate data pipeline is required.
Using carbon data
Carbon footprint data can be used for:
- Marketing -- showcase your environmental commitment on your website and booking page.
- Sustainability reporting -- include emissions data in annual sustainability reports.
- Operational decisions -- identify high-emission patterns and prioritize fleet upgrades to lower-emission equipment.
- Carbon offset programs -- use the emissions baseline to purchase additional carbon credits beyond the RentalTide offset.
Permissions
The carbon footprint page requires the carbon_access permission.
The emissions model uses a default rate of 10 kg CO2 per usage hour. Actual emissions vary significantly by equipment type, engine size, and fuel consumption. Use these figures as directional estimates rather than precise measurements. The 8-hour daily cap prevents multi-day bookings from inflating usage hours beyond realistic operating time. For more accurate tracking, consider pairing this data with actual fuel consumption records.
Page shows zero emissions -- Verify that you have bookings with valid start and end dates. The page needs at least one completed booking to calculate emissions.
Trend indicator shows "stable" even though operations have changed -- The trend compares only the last 3 bookings against the prior 3. A longer comparison window may be needed for businesses with low booking volume.
Numbers seem too high or too low -- The default emission rate (10 kg/hour) is an estimate. Actual rates depend on equipment type. Electric boats produce zero direct emissions, while large motor yachts may exceed this rate significantly.
Chart shows "Invalid Date" -- This occurs when a booking has a malformed start or end date. Check the booking record for data quality issues.