Ecological footprint calculators allow users to estimate their individual environmental impact, with the goal of raising awareness and changing behaviour. Prior to this study, little was known about users’ reasons for adopting a footprint calculator, their evaluation of these tools, and the effects of calculator use. With this paper, we aim to provide a deep understanding of these factors. Based on a thematic analysis of interviews with 11 Dutch ecological footprint calculator users, centred around their experiences with existing calculators, we draw several conclusions. Calculator users can be divided into two groups with different motivations and needs: Explorers and Environmentalists. For both user groups, calculators increase awareness. In some cases, this results in behaviour change. Other effects are more difficult to measure, but no less important — for example, calculators facilitate discussions around sustainability between users and non-users. Despite the promising effects of calculators, achieving widespread adoption and stimulating continuous engagement is difficult. Based on our findings, we formulate a set of design recommendations to help calculators overcome these and other challenges.

生态足迹计算器允许用户估计他们个人的环境影响，目的是提高认识和改变行为。在此研究之前，人们对用户采用足迹计算器的原因、他们对这些工具的评估以及计算器使用的影响知之甚少。通过本文，我们旨在深入了解这些因素。基于对 11 位荷兰生态足迹计算器用户的访谈的专题分析，围绕他们使用现有计算器的经验，我们得出了几个结论。计算器用户可以分为具有不同动机和需求的两组：探索者和环保主义者。对于这两个用户群，计算器提高了认知度。在某些情况下，这会导致行为改变。其他影响更难以衡量，但同样重要——例如，计算器促进了用户和非用户之间关于可持续性的讨论。尽管计算器具有良好的效果，但实现广泛采用和激励持续参与仍然很困难。根据我们的发现，我们制定了一套设计建议，以帮助计算器克服这些和其他挑战。