Sustainability: Population Growth and Ecological Footprint
SUSTAINABILITY
My ecological footprint: After taking my Ecological Footprint quiz, it seems that to support the lifestyle I’m living, it takes 3.4 hectares of the Earth’s productive area and it requires the regenerative capacity of 1.9 planets each year. If everyone lived the same lifestyle as I do, it would take about 1.9 planets each year to sustain the human population – shocking, isn’t it? I try to make a effort to help the environment by purchasing organic food where possible, I don’t eat a lot of red meat products, I try to eat foods that are in season, I drive in a carpool to work every week to save on fuel consumption, I service my car regularly, keep my tyres properly inflated and drive the speed limit to reduce CO₂ emissions, I use energy saving appliances at my home and make minimal use of power equipment, and still my footprint calculates that I need 1.9 earths to sustain the human population. I expected this number to be much lower. This test reinforced my view on environmental protection. I do not think that this quiz may be effective for immediate widespread change, but it can contribute to creating awareness that could lead to people being more considerate of their use of the available environmental resources. The quiz challenged my mode of thinking and what it means to be more environmental friendly.
Recognition of our ecological footprint could change the world, and therefore I see it necessary to raise awareness to the crisis we find ourselves in. It will take collective action from every citizen from each country, all over the world. The assessment of my ecological footprint has opened my mind, and I therefore believe it is possible to open everyone else’s minds by raising awareness.
“It's all in the outcome – Consequentialism”
Human demand already exceeds the long-term carrying capacity of the planet. The world is in a global ecological overshoot, because we turn resources into waste faster than waste can be turned back into resources.
My ecological footprint: After taking my Ecological Footprint quiz, it seems that to support the lifestyle I’m living, it takes 3.4 hectares of the Earth’s productive area and it requires the regenerative capacity of 1.9 planets each year. If everyone lived the same lifestyle as I do, it would take about 1.9 planets each year to sustain the human population – shocking, isn’t it? I try to make a effort to help the environment by purchasing organic food where possible, I don’t eat a lot of red meat products, I try to eat foods that are in season, I drive in a carpool to work every week to save on fuel consumption, I service my car regularly, keep my tyres properly inflated and drive the speed limit to reduce CO₂ emissions, I use energy saving appliances at my home and make minimal use of power equipment, and still my footprint calculates that I need 1.9 earths to sustain the human population. I expected this number to be much lower. This test reinforced my view on environmental protection. I do not think that this quiz may be effective for immediate widespread change, but it can contribute to creating awareness that could lead to people being more considerate of their use of the available environmental resources. The quiz challenged my mode of thinking and what it means to be more environmental friendly.
Recognition of our ecological footprint could change the world, and therefore I see it necessary to raise awareness to the crisis we find ourselves in. It will take collective action from every citizen from each country, all over the world. The assessment of my ecological footprint has opened my mind, and I therefore believe it is possible to open everyone else’s minds by raising awareness.
“It's all in the outcome – Consequentialism”
Human demand already exceeds the long-term carrying capacity of the planet. The world is in a global ecological overshoot, because we turn resources into waste faster than waste can be turned back into resources.