What's your ecofootprint?

[SallyMander]

Inspired by crimsonblue's veggie post... this is an assignment I gave my class. I thought it might be of interest to people here. :hi:


What's your ecofootprint? How many planets would we need if everyone lived like you? Experiment with possible reduction strategies.

Write a commentary describing your reaction.

http://www.myfootprint.org/en/





Edit for bad link

[stuntcat]

1. I've never seen this one

I'm going to look at it.
I'm trying hard with everything, being thrifty and not driving helps but I feel bad about all the tissues I use, I don't know what to do about my nose running all day.. I think I better start carrying around a nasty rag :puke: Thanks to Modern Times people like me can have tissue boxes sitting all over their house, but I don't take it for granted.
ok I'm going to take it.

[stuntcat]

4. I'd need 2.6 Earths :(

I try though, at least, I am conscious of everything we have here.

[SallyMander]

12. There are a lot of assumptions built in

when you select that you're from the US -- it's possible you are actually lower than that. But it's interesting, no?

:hi:

[nuxvomica]

2. 218.97 Yikes!

We would need 5.64 Earths to support people like me.

[SallyMander]

13. What kicked it up so much?

Do you travel a lot?

[BarenakedLady]

3. I could do much better.

143.27

I was below average on all but housing footprint. I think because they assume I've used up my 5 acres with lawn, but it's almost all left wild.

[nuxvomica]

5. I think you should re-calculate

I wouldn't count the portion of your property that is left wild, especially if it borders a larger wild area.

[stuntcat]

6. wild acres

That would rock! I'm in a VERY crowded suburb but I've been working hard making it a wildlife habitat.. small animals of course- frogs, birds, squirrels and bats.

[BarenakedLady]

8. I love it.

It would break my heart to ever move. :(

[stuntcat]

9. that

that makes my heart kinda jump :* if I saw them in my yard I'd be like in Heaven!
I'm excited about my occasional possums hehe

[SallyMander]

14. Wild land will actually reduce your footprint

By providing ecological services, carbon sequestration, etc. So that's great. :hi:

[Chan790]

61. You were not supposed to include "wild" land on that question.

It was written into the question.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. very small. dont drive. dont buy too many things. thanks to grad school

i barely travel anymore (this used to give me a bigger footprint), eat red meat twice a month, limit plastic usage, recycle.

[SallyMander]

15. And you're in NYC, right?

So high population density is also in your favor. :hi:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. tiny apt living works in my favor too

[logosoco]

10. my outcome was 3.5 earths

i don't know how that relates to average...but i thought it wasn't too bad considering there are 7 people living in my house!!!WE recycle a lot (all paper and aluminum), use most everything used, use clothes line when possible, use vinegar and old cloth rags for cleaning , use a push mower when possible and hardly ever drive anywhere anymore.
I'm trying!!!!!!!!!!

[SallyMander]

16. I'm surprised yours was so high, given all that!

What bumped it up?

I was going to say, Welcome to DU! But i see you've been around a while! :D

[Inchworm]

11. Boo! I need 4.36 Earths!

I was lower than the average in all categories save housing. I'm sure "average" sucks, but I thought I was doing better. I guess the fact I live in an old 2-story farmhouse didnt help. Or.. the fact I am having to drive a stupid gas-sucking pick-up truck atm.

169.00

:hi:

[SallyMander]

17. It's nearly impossible to live sustainably in the US

I know only one person who's done it, and he has no car (bikes everywhere), solar panels on his roof, a corn heater, grows much of his own food, etc etc. It takes a LOT of effort to pull it off!

:hi:

[Deja Q]

22. I think the quiz is bollocks.

I scored similarly to you. Everything that was said as to HOW to reduce my score is stuff, by and large, I already do regularly.

Other sites show different results to similarly themed questions.

And I walk to work and prefer to walk to the more local stores when possible.

[flvegan]

19. 121.40 or 3.1 Earths

My food footprint was 6.9, as opposed to the 65.7 country average. That was nice to see.

I'm proud to be below average!

[SallyMander]

21. Wow, that is *wicked* low on your food

Is it mainly that you're vegan, or do you also buy local? (I can't remember if that quiz asks about both... i've done several of them now!)

Iza and i have often discussed if it would be better to be a supermarket-shopping vegan, or a locally-buying omnivore (strictly from an ecofootprint perspective, i mean). I have other reasons for being a veg anyway, but it's an interesting question.

:thumbsup:

:hi:

[flvegan]

30. I think it's the vegan aspect and the shopping at natural food stores

It did ask where one shopped (farmers markets, natural foods, supermarket, etc).

That is an interesting question.

[Deja Q]

Dang, how did you get that result for food?

I'll admit I do eat out, typically once a week - if not once every two weeks, but otherwise I thought my food purchasing practices were better than average. (With diabetes and others running in my family, I do tend to watch what I eat!)

[flvegan]

32. Vegan, shopping at natural food stores.

I buy *most* of my food and local independent natural food stores, and I hit the farmer's market once a week. Rarely do I go to a supermarket. Except for beer. Total Wine is my downfall.

[Deja Q]

20. My carbon footprint is 50% lower than the national average, and housing footprint is 1/3rd

Still lower than the average for the other two categories.

I do walk to work.

Most food I buy is the economy size; less net packaging.

I already do 90% of the "How to reduce your footprint" page.

I recycle and most goods I buy claim to be be made, in part or entirely by, recycled parts.

I've used fluorescent bulbs long before they became a fad too...

Yet my score is still rather high.

Other scores on other sites are not that harsh.

Maybe I misread a question.

[SallyMander]

23. Sounds like you do a good job!

That quiz has many assumptions built in just when you say you're from the US. Assumptions on how far your food travels to get to you, waste processing, etc. If you fill it out exactly the same but say you're European (for example) i bet your number would be lower. And if you say you're from Latin America or Africa, it would be TINY.

:hi:

[Deja Q]

27. That would make sense.

Still eye opening, and at other times confounding, but the assumptions do make sense - in that perspective.

:hi:

[SallyMander]

31. If you're interested in the nitty-gritty, i just found their report

Here: http://www.rprogress.org/publications/2006/RefiningEF_2006.pdf


Cuz i'm a nerd :D

[auntAgonist]

24. wow. 4.88 earths & 189.47

Driving 400 miles a week to and from work (total) is my downfall.

Very interesting and thought provoking site though.

thanks.

[SallyMander]

26. Yup, the biggies seem to be air travel, driving, and housing

Also diet to some degree

Glad you liked it! :hi:

[Deja Q]

29. My score is identical to yours.

I don't drive to the main office; but with doctors and the occasional, not-so-frequent trips to satellite offices, I still do 10k miles per year. (I always aim for 6k)

Especially as I stopped my weekly visits to Murderapolis back in 2004...

[auntAgonist]

53. sorry, repeat of original post :)

[bikebloke]

25. 2.73 Earths

Another calculator gave me 1.25 Earths - maybe it's applied to another galaxy.

I'd like to experiment growing food, but I'm in a shoebox facing north. There is a community garden a few blocks off, but I haven't been sure about whether or not I wanted to move due to a noisy neighbour. The dickhead finally moved after realizing his neighbours hated his guts. By then all the garden plots were snagged.

[SallyMander]

28. They all have different background assumptions

as i posted above -- even this organization (Redefining Progress) recently published a big report about how they were changing some of the assumptions, and what the justification was.

Too bad about the garden -- maybe next year? :hi:

[crimsonblue]

33. I'm glad I was a source of inspiration for ya

:) I'd have 4.73 earths... although I live in semi rural kansas and the only way to get around is by driving... plus I don't recycle much.. but I only go through one trash bag a month... But I love technology and I'm sure my tv, computer, and other lovely gadgets are sucking up a bit of juice.

[SallyMander]

39. Iza (my fiance) is from rural Ohio

and it's the same out there -- you have to drive to get anywhere. Definitely not good on the ecofootprint!

:hi:

[crimsonblue]

46. that's why the city folk need to get green..

to make up for my love of cars, meat, and 68 degrees. :P

[LeftyMom]

34. 1.47 earths

I always do pretty well on these because I'm vegan, my house is pretty small, and too cheap to buy anything new if I don't have to.

I have huge room for improvement with my car though, hopefully by the time it's due to be replaced something much more ecological will be in my price range, or I'll be in a situation where I don't need one, which would be even better. I'm kinda screwn on my air travel, unless I can convince all the cool people and events to move out this direction.

[SallyMander]

40. Wow, that's very low!

I hear you on the air travel... i feel bad about it, but i miss my family! :shrug:

[LeftyMom]

47. Right now, my choices are air travel or celibacy

I hate flying, but not that much.

[SallyMander]

49. LOL!

:spray:

[BlueIris]

35. 1.3 planets. That's down from 2.3 three years ago.

Yeah, I made some changes. Good for me, I say.

[SallyMander]

41. Wow! I am impressed!

What changes did you make?

[BlueIris]

52. I basically quit driving, curtailed all unnecessary water use...uh, quit breathing?

It was a lot of stuff.

[Chan790]

36. 110.71=2.85 Earths.

I'd be lower if I lived closer to work and my house wasn't huge on a huge piece of lawn. The 3.1 in goods and services helped compared to the 57.7 natl. average, and the 18.6 on food compared to the national 65.7 doesn't hurt.

[SallyMander]

42. That's a really low goods & services

What do you do to make it so low?

[Chan790]

48. I'm poor...

I only buy things when the old one dies, I'm material conscious, and I usually buy used (which IMO counts as recycled) goods. I go out of my way to recycle. I was pretty much the "best choice" the entire length of the page.

[Critters2]

37. 3.53 earths. How embarassing. I'm sure it's because I live in a big house.

But my house comes with the job. I do the best I can in other areas to make up for it. But apparently not enough.

[SallyMander]

43. It's really hard to keep it low in the US!

Any amount of awareness is a help! :hi:

[ghostsofgiants]

38. 3.01 earths (47.30 footprint)

My eating habits killed it for me. I need to eat healthier and organic foods need to stop being outside of my price range, haha. I was well below average on everything else.

[SallyMander]

44. Wow, i think it's unusual to get bounced up by diet

Most people get killed on air travel, driving, and housing.

:hi:

[ghostsofgiants]

45. I don't drive or fly places and I live in a somewhat small (but not cramped) basement apartment...

But I eat a lot of chicken and dairy, haha.

[Pierre.Suave]

50. Accordign to this

we would need 5.35 earths to all live like me...Cause I AM LIVIN LARGE!!!!!!! :P

it gave me a score of 207.62 and I was below average in carbon footprint and housing, equal in food, and way above in goods and services.

[SallyMander]

56. Yikes -- that's way huge

What do you buy???

[Pierre.Suave]

60. I have no idea...

nothing really.

I have been buying a lot of stuff for the house lately, new furniture and stuff. I dont know why it is that high.

[huskerlaw]

51. It's scary big

Like, humiliatingly large.

But the things that drove it up for the most part I can't control. I live in an apartment, so I can't do anything about the insulation, toilets, or appliances. My commute is sorta long, though it's not very far (thanks, LA traffic) and I can't afford to move in closer...though I do take public transit 4 days a week. And unfortunately, my family lives 1500 miles away, so if I ever want to see them, my air travel is going to be a little high. I also have no space for a garden.

On the other hand, I could eat out less...

:P

[SallyMander]

57. Public transit is a start!

:hi:

[Greyskye]

54. 2.9 Earths / 112.34 acres

Hybrid.
Small house w/ 3 people.
Recycle.
Buy Organic food w/ 1 main meal per day.
1/3 of an acre w/ drought resistant landscaping (or weeds LOL)

[SallyMander]

58. Haha - weeds

:rofl:

Sounds like you're doing a lot of good things! :hi:

[Fox Mulder]

55. 3.93 Earths.

Holy shit. I really need to bring that down by a lot.

[SallyMander]

59. What could you change?

Were any of the sections particularly high?

:hi: