Product Assumptions:

1)   Agriculture:

-       Poultry = 5.04 lbs CO2 emissions per pound

-       Beef = 26.44 lbs CO2 emissions per pound

-       Milk (Dairy) = 17.6 lbs CO2 emissions per gallon

-       Milk (Almond) = 3.3048 lbs CO2 emissions per gallon

-       Eggs = 5.96 lbs CO2 emissions per dozen

            Source (Poultry, Beef):

            http://css.umich.edu/factsheets/carbon-footprint-factsheet

            Source Eggs:

            https://phys.org/news/2018-04-environmental-footprint-egg-industry.html

            Source Milk (dairy):

            https://dairygood.org/content/2015/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-a-gallon-of-milk

            Source Milk (Non-Dairy):

            https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24012018/almond-soy-milk-non-dairy-climate-change-impact

  2)   Transportation: 

For the transportation of poultry, beef, milk (dairy & non-dairy), and eggs, we assume these products were shipped via class 8 refrigerated truck operating on diesel fuel, with a max payload of 45,000 pounds and an average fuel economy of 6 miles per gallon. (We also assume that the entirety of the payload is unloaded at a single destination.) Therefore carbon footprint of the fuel used to transport each unit is evenly distributed amongst the cargo. Additionally, the distance traveled for an item is calculated by using the average distance of the known locations of where that item is grown/produced and/or that item's processing facility to the city in which that item is sold to the consumer.

            Source fuel economy:

            https://www.refrigeratedtransporter.com/archive/article/21717777/fuel-economy

            Source Diesel fuel efficiency:

            http://www.patagoniaalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/How-much-carbon-dioxide-is-produced-by-burning-gasoline-and-diesel-fuel-FAQ-U.S.-Energy-Information-Administration-EIA.pdf

 3)   Processing: 

While the processing phase of the food industry accounts for 16 percent of the total production’s carbon footprint, we have not been able to find specific numbers that reflect the energy required to process the products in our database.  Therefore we have applied a conservative estimate of 5 percent of a product’s total carbon footprint to its processing phase, as a placeholder until we can acquire more accurate data.

            Source: https://www.chooseenergy.com/blog/energy-101/energy-food-production/

4)   Handling: 

According to the EPA, the average size grocery store is 50,000 square feet and emits 1,900 tons of CO2 per year (source below). The Blu-nit Organization assumes an average height of 2 stories (20 feet) per grocery store to yield an average volume of 1,000,000 cubic feet per grocery store.  Therefore we assume the grocery stores that “handle” the products in our database has a carbon footprint of 0.01041096 lbs of CO2 per cubic foot per day.  From here, we use the volume of the product being sold to determine its “handling carbon footprint” per day, and then estimate the number of days it remains on the grocery store shelf by referencing the product’s suggested shelf life.  For poultry, beef, milk (dairy & non dairy), and eggs The Blu-nit Organization assumes 7 days spent in the grocery store prior to being sold, which is currently based on first-person observational metrics.

            Source:https://www.energystar.gov/sites/default/files/buildings/tools/SPP%20Sales%20Flyer%20for%20Supermarkets%20and%20Grocery%20Stores.pdf

Disclaimers:

- The Blu-nit Organization has made inquiries into the distribution modules of these products but has either garnered no response or been told that information is proprietary and therefore won’t be disclosed.  Therefore our current model reflects these goods as having had traveled an average distance.   This is done by calculating the average distance of all known sourcing locations to the point of sale location.  This method will be utilized until precise data can be used.

- As The Blu-nit Organization builds partnerships with the various entities that produce, transport, process, and sell to the consumer, we will be able to bring more information and transparency to you in regards to how long it will take the environment to rebound from the creation of the product that you seek to purchase.