2.29 Earths, Really?

If everyone on the planet maintained my lifestyle we would need 2.29 Earths? I'm not sure that my consumption decreased from equating 3.14 earths to 2.29 earths in 2 months, but that is the survey result of my Ecological Footprint. Thus, I saved an entire earth!

Here are the stats:

My footprint in global acres of consumption categories is highest for my carbon footprint at 41%. Secondly, my housing footprint is one of my largest impact categories at 26%.

My forestland imprint of 42% is my highest ecological impact regarding my footprint share by biome. This could be because of my home's location or because of our lack of environmentally friendly yard practices. Because I am not a homeowner, WWU Properties makes all of our decisions regarding garbage pickup (garbage, but not compost is included in our rent), insulation, solar panels (or lack thereof), and other characteristics of the home itself. Instant water heaters, low flow toilets, water recycling systems, and drought tolerant landscaping are all features dealt with by home owners.

Personally, I'm not allowed to paint our walls, much less re-landscape our backyard. It's difficult sometimes to control over my ecological footprint, when so much of my living situation is predetermined by our landlord and the house's structure itself.

However, this quarter I did do a really good job of achieving my ecological footprint goals. My roomies and I significantly decreased our plastic grocery bag usage and we make a combined effort to visit the Farmer's Market together for fresh and local produce weekly. The big screen television has been a constant challenge, but after a chat about our electricity bill (as well as ecological impact) we decided that maybe our house doesn't always have to be the neighborhood spot for the game and movie nights. Overall, I'm really proud of how well my roomies and I have stuck to our house goals.

Personally, I have had a few ecological footprint goals of my own. I now unplug my laptop instead of charging it overnight. Also, I no longer charge my phone for longer periods than necessary since discovering how much extra electricity is used. My mom and I recycled our old phones and chargers over Thanksgiving. I have learned to become a lot more conscious of my habits and lifestyle through Sustainable Marketing. Although I might not altogether agree or think that the Ecological Footprint survey is the absolute best model that there can ever be for judging sustainability, right now it is useful for educating the public on their lifestyles and the impact that they have on the environment.

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