Calculate YOUR 'impact' on the Earth.

[Chris P]

Ecological Footprint Quiz (90 seconds) at www.earthday.net

Yes, I know there are too many quizzes and surveys on the web, but this one should really put a ferret down your trousers. Basically, you have to answer 15 short questions about your lifestyle: the type of food you eat, your mode of transport and mobility, your type of home, and the goods/services you use.

At the end of the quiz, your ecological footprint (your 'impact' on the earth) is given in number form. This tells you how much of JumbleTown (sorry, Mother Earth!) you need to sustain your lifestyle. All things being equal, the Earth can offer 1.8 hectares (about 4.5 acres) of productive land for each and every man, woman and child (i.e. 6.4 billion of us). So, if your lifestyle requires more than 1.8 hectares, then you’re living beyond your means (as your mother would say).


'My Footprint Shame'

Yours truly needs 2.9 hectares to sustain his lifestyle. If everyone lived like me, we’d need 1.6 Earths! Pretty disappointing that - I thought I’d do better. But…and this is the real shocker, and no comfort to me…the average Irish person needs 5.3 hectares!

In short, we’re consuming too much processed/packaged food, using our cars too often and for longer periods, and, despite some encouraging figures of late, still dumping too much in landfill.

I’m not one for guilt-trips, but we’ve really got to examine our lifestyles or else… (← them’s three ominous dots; be afraid, be very afraid).

Try the quiz at www.earthday.net

Regards
Chris P
(Admin)

(Source:http://www.nerc.ac.uk/logos/green/g-footprint_96x150vert.gif)

[buffy]

Category Global Hectares
Food 1.2
Mobility 0.2
Shelter 1.9
Goods/services 1.7
Total Footprint 5



In Comparison, The Average Ecological Footprint In Your Country Is 5.3 Global Hectares Per Person.

Worldwide, There Exist 1.8 Biologically Productive Global Hectares Per Person.



If Everyone Lived Like You, We Would Need 2.8 Planets.

oh dear!!!

[Aceshigh]

total footprint 4.6 if everyone was like me we would need 2.6 worlds
now i think this is wrong because they only asked what percentage of my food is processed etc if they knew how much i eat i am sure that figure would be a lot worse as i know my figure is (ha ha)
..thanx
....wayne

[OneofThree]

I'm so ashamed I'm not even going to tell you mine. I swear it's because I live in the countryside where the nearest public transport is miles away and I have to drive quite high mileage each week.
Also, I presumed things like sliced ham you buy over the counter is included in processed foods, also tinned tuna, bran flakes and other cereals. But is porridge? For instance, I like porridge but because I buy it in a bag that has obviously come from a factory, does that make it processed? Is non processed food literally only things I buy sans packaging, so therefore, are the likes of wrapped carrots considered processed?

One of Three

[paloula]

oh lord - I can't even bring myself to tell you how many planets I would need - but its not good - oh alright - its 6!
maybe I'm putting in the wrong figures for my house size and cost of petrol or something....although I have to say I think its also to do with how many people live in your house - maybe a commune would get me down to one .....????

[Chris P]

Admin bump