Tangible Carbon Blocks: Data Physicalization for Everyday Carbon Emissions

We present Tangible Carbon Blocks, a data physicalization toolkit that represents everyday carbon emissions as color-coded, stackable blocks. Daily carbon emissions are often communicated through abstract numerical values, making them difficult for non-experts to understand, compare, and reflect on. While existing carbon-recording tools such as calculators, dashboards, and summary metrics can raise awareness, they provide limited support for intuitive understanding and self-reflection. To elicit design requirements, we first conducted a 7-day formative study with five participants, combining daily carbon-activity recording through our website with post-interviews. Participants perceived carbon emissions as abstract, difficult to compare across activities, and rarely calculated in daily life. Based on these insights, we designed Tangible Carbon Blocks, which translate emissions into physical blocks that are gradually removed as emissions accumulate. We then conducted a second 7-day study with the same five participants, who continued recording their activities while using the blocks. Our results showed a descriptive reduction in participants’ average daily emissions during block use, though this trend remains preliminary given the small sample and short duration. Open-ended responses further suggest that the blocks made category differences more visible, helped participants perceive emissions more intuitively, and prompted reflection on cumulative everyday consumption. Together, our results suggest that tangible physicalization can be an intuitive and low-cost way to support comparative and reflective engagement with everyday carbon emissions.