Most of you green people reading this have already taken the Enviro Footprint quiz — and been shocked at the results.
I mean, the average ecological footprint in the US is 24 acres a person — meaning it takes about 24 biologically productive acres of land to sustain the average American lifestyle. In contrast, only 4.5 biologically productive acres exist per person, worldwide.
But I thought, well — I’m a green gal. My footprint can’t be so bad. And I took the quiz.
Turns out: I require 9 acres. Said the quiz: “If everyone lived like you, we would need 2.1 planets.”
Hmmm…. Certainly better than the average American, but still not exactly sustainable..
So I tried fiddling with the quiz a bit. What would happen if I went vegan, only ate unprocessed and unpackaged local food, never drove, and flew less than 10 hours a year?
My total print would be 6 acres, or 1.4 planets.
Damn, cuz I really wanted to get it down to 1 planet.
So I tried one more thing: What if I stopped flying altogether? That took me down to 5 acres, or 1.2 planets.
Getting rid of my car altogether and never flying again are big moves in themselves — But even doing those things won’t take me down to 1 planet :( It seems that a lotta the stuff that’s adding to the acreage — i.e. living in an apartment that’s not a green building — is somewhat outta my control…
Of course, the footprint quiz doesn’t account for everything. I buy used or green clothes! I use CFL lightbulbs! I make my own biz cards from old cereal boxes!
Know of a similar quiz with more variables that might make me feel better?
But I thought, well — I’m a green gal. My footprint can’t be so bad. And I took the quiz.
Turns out: I require 9 acres. Said the quiz: “If everyone lived like you, we would need 2.1 planets.â€
I am a rampant capitalist and I got the same. ;) Maybe there is something wrong with the quiz?
Comment by simon — November 19, 2006 @ 5:53 pm
I’m guessing it has to do with the fact that you live in Ireland and I live in wasteful US of A –
Comment by Siel — November 19, 2006 @ 5:59 pm
Not really it doesn’t depend on your country at all Just on what you do personally. I think the fact that I don’t have a car and cycle or take the bus most places is what saves me.
By the way I redid the quiz as I answered the question of size of the place you live in wrong. I answer first time that i live in rural area but I have moved recently to a small city. Funnily enough increasing the population of the place reduced my total to 7.4 acres
Ireland’s average is 13 acres by the way. But America does seem very wasteful.
Comment by simon — November 19, 2006 @ 6:25 pm
Not really it doesn’t depend on your country at all Just on what you do personally. Sorry that was not supposed to be a snide comment or anything.
Comment by simon — November 19, 2006 @ 6:27 pm
Oh mine was tragic. And it had to do with living in a big house. Oh well. Moving is such a daunting idea; I can’t quite face it.
Comment by Andrea — November 19, 2006 @ 8:36 pm
for me it counts in hectares (portugal).
1.8 hectares per person
i use ca 3 -> 1.7 planets
i dunno how large my apartment is,
it is tiny so first guess 30 ->3 then
tried 30-60m2 -> 3.7
average in portugal is 4.5 hectares or 2.5 planets.
i live ca 20min walk from work and city centre
so not so much need for neither bus nor car.
but we drive to porto a few times a month which adds ca 1000km per month in car driving although always car pooling …
i have colleagues that drive the ca 50km one way to work each day… lots of time and CO2…
Comment by Johan — November 20, 2006 @ 2:23 am
it does seem to matter were you live (climate!)
i compared living alone in a 120m2 villa in jokkmokk (far north) and malmo (far south) of sweden.
the footprint for shelter went from 6 to 4.8 hectares.
Comment by Johan — November 20, 2006 @ 3:33 am
Mine was in hectars (3) as well. But you know these yanks they can’t do anything with the metric system. ;)
If you type “3 hectars in acres” into google it will convert it for you.
The climate and house size dictates house heating. Which is a bit vague. As if you go around in t-shirts or wollly jumpers you will have the heating at different temperatures.
Comment by simon — November 20, 2006 @ 3:46 am
and I guess the houses in jokkmokk might be very well insulated so they can easily heat them up so that you can walk around in a t-shirt indoors even if it is -40C outside :-)
quick converter:
1 acre = 0.4 hectares
1 hectare = 2.5 acres
so 3 hectares = 7.5 acres
btw
odd that i should choose -40C since that equals -40F …
Comment by Johan — November 20, 2006 @ 6:41 am
I got 6 acres. I’ll need to drive less/bike more, unplug a lot of stuff when I’m not home, and move into a smaller place, more energy efficient residence. Damn college life.
Comment by Shawn Wozniak — November 20, 2006 @ 8:58 am
Well, 4.5 acres is a lot. I was under the impression that 1.4 useable acres are available for each person on the planet.
Comment by taylor — November 20, 2006 @ 9:05 am
It’s a very crude test. If I lived in LA rather than Long Beach, my footprint goes down, because that city is over 1 million. But, c’mon, does that really make sense.
I wish their car fuel efficiency question was a little more realistic. An ok sedan that gets 25 mpg is in the same category as a clunker SUV that gets 15.
Still, the test is a good tool to get us all thinking.
Comment by Rafi — November 20, 2006 @ 9:42 am
i got the same as you siel… we’re doing a lot better than the avg american, but there is more work to be done cuz i want to live on one planet also.
my score is probably because i live in a huge house, but i do share it with 10 other people (co-op style) and we grow some of our own food which is pretty uncommon in el lay (unfortunately). i also usually take one long-distance trip by air once a year, which i offset, but offsetting is still just a band aid on the problem and makes me feel less guilty. maybe i’ll join the ranks of tim harvey and bike to europe this year ;)
Comment by vanessa — November 20, 2006 @ 11:58 am
here are some other calculators:
this is a list of enviro-impact calculators
http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/ecological_footprint_calculator.htm
best foot forward
http://www.bestfootforward.com/footprintlife.htm
NZ Ministry of Environment
http://www.mfe.govt.nz/withyou/do/footprint/calculator.html
Comment by Johan — November 20, 2006 @ 1:35 pm
I am a horrible, horrible person. I’m even worse than the average American — 29 acres. I live in a big house, drive my car everywhere, and eat lots of meat from far away places. I will endeavor to do better.
Comment by Monick — November 20, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
Best of luck reducing your footpring, Monick! :)
Thanks, Johan — The whole hectare / acre thing makes me feel better :) I’m totally beating out simon! Also, thanks for the links to the other calculators :) Will see which one gives me the most amenable ranking — tee hee :)
And simon — Yes, it does depend on what country — and even what city — you live in, cuz the quiz factors in climate and population. More deets in the other comments above.
vanessa — I just recently started an herb garden, so now I technically grow some of my own food too! I may have to bug you later re: gardening tips…
Comment by Siel — December 6, 2006 @ 9:34 am