A new software application for tracking carbon footprints is being developed by a start-up in the UK that uses GPS on mobile phones to figure out whether you’re walking, running, driving, flying– you get the picture– and then estimating the impact this has on the environment.

The software dubbed Carbon Diem claims that since GPSs have the ability of figuring out the speed of movement, this can then lead to pointing out the kind of activity the individual is performing and how much CO2 emission it’s giving off. If you thought computers knew all about you, or should I say, Google, watch out for cellphones now.

The new software is supposed to be the first ever software to track people’s CO2 emissions and a good thing about it is that once you find out the extent of your impact on the atmosphere, you can then aim at changing your actions as a way to diminish such impact.

According to its inventor, the application has already been tested in Nokia and Blackberry phones and that so far last year’s tests proved to be 100% accurate in determining whether people were using trains or airplanes as a way of transportation, but that it is only 65%-75% accurate when telling if people are using buses to move from place to place.

Yet another great example of a company trying to make a difference in tackling climate changes and avoiding excess carbon emissions by introducing useful technologies like the Carbon Diem.

I stumbled upon a nice post by James Sherwood on The Register dubbed ‘Brits more hooked on mobile tech than Yanks are’- loved the sound of it, and wanted to bring some data to front.

It’s only fair I call out the final verdict. Brits win, Yanks loose. But let’s just take a look at some of the facts and figures:

Brits vs. Yanks

• 94% Brit youngsters own mobile phones vs. 80% Yank youngsters
• 4% of Brit adults resist to owning a mobile phone vs. 10% Americans think the same
• 17% Brits own more than one device vs. 11% Yanks say the same
• Both kids and adults in the US and the UK prefer texting as a communication format
• 46% of UK adults claim they prefer texting over calling or emailing vs. 28% of Americans who say the same

One last interesting fact- 24% of US and 17% of UK adults coincide in that emailing is the only common online activity they have performed using mobile phones.

I get the feeling this data is not entirely accurate, however, its somewhat of a general scope. Things like population, coverage, phone plans, can all influence these numbers. However, you can at least tell mobile phone and internet technology still have a long way to go, and for one reason or another some people have not yet made the transgression. And the final outcome: TV is still reigning in the households.