KEY POINTS:
Herald readers who rushed to calculate their carbon footprint using a calculator described in the launch of the new green pages were puzzled they could not access the link on the Ministry for the Environment website.
The calculator had been taken offline after feedback from users who had similar experiences to the Herald reporter who discovered discrepancies like being punished for not using public transport when in fact she walked to work.
Julia Porter, the reporting and review group manager, said the calculator was added to the website several years ago as an interactive tool.
Since then there had been more interest in the issues around climate change and sustainability and more awareness of carbon footprints and calculators.
A new national footprint would be published as part of the State of the Environment Report, due for release towards the end of the year along with a new personal calculator.
Ms Porter said several months ago the ministry contracted scientists at Massey University to update the data which supported the calculator to make the information more useful to people who took the time to work out their footprints.
As part of the process, the original calculator had to be withdrawn until the new data could be loaded.
She said that was due to take place a fortnight ago but was delayed for technical reasons.
"It is a pure but unfortunate coincidence that the calculator was taken offline on Monday after weeks of planning."
Ms Porter said the ministry became aware of the Herald article, and that people would probably go to the site, but felt it was more beneficial not to give them the poor experience of using the tool.
The ministry was aware many New Zealanders wanted to learn more about how they could protect the environment, and believed the information it provided should be as up-to-date and useful as possible.
