A carbon footprint calculator for the municipal waste collection system of Bari

The concept of smart city is being receiving wide consideration as a guiding principle of European public policy. Providing "smartness" to modern society is emerging as a strategy to coordinate sets of interventions aiming at make city more sustainable. Following the principle that what is not measured cannot be managed, the authors propose a Carbon Footprint Calculator (CFC) to evaluate and monitor emissions resulting from the collection of municipal solid waste system. This user-friendly tool has been developed in the frame of European project "RES NOVAE" with the aim of providing the city with a 'smart governance'. Smart governance is a cornerstone of smart city: it means stakeholders cooperating in decision making process and public or social service. Indeed, the calculator is suitable for both public decision makers and citizens. Policy maker can use the CFC proposed to support greenhouse gases monitoring as well as to provide an estimation of a potential change in emissions associated with management and technological changes in waste collection. 'Smart' citizens will use the carbon footprint calculator to glean consciousness about personal behaviours affecting green house gas emissions. The tool stands as a formative instrument to involve citizens in societal challenges and increase their public participation.