The Ecological Footprint
I’ve taken the quiz before, but every once in a while during a dull day at the office, I like to calculate our ecological footprint. Yes, it can get really boring at the office during off-season.
Within the year, I’d like to reduce my footprint. I know that eating more local foods (difficult in the winter since I’ve yet to master the art of food preservation) and taking public transportation will to reduce that number considerably.
Anyhow, the quiz calculated my footprint as 14 acres with the grim warning that if everyone lived like me we’d need more than three planets as the aerable acreage per person is only 4.5 according to the quiz. Of course, I don’t take the quiz to seriously; rather, it’s just nice for a little perspective.
Perhaps, with a little work, I’ll be able to get the number to fall below ten. Still, the average ecological footprint for other Americans is a startling 24 acres, so maybe I’m not doing too bad afterall. We, as a nation, love our big cars, big houses and big macs none of which are exactly environmentally friendly.
The truth is that, in this journey, the less I consume, the better I feel and I’d like to feel better and better.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
Bleh, my footprint was 17. I have to try harder.
Love the new blog!
October 4th, 2006 at 5:31 am
Ok…I thought I was the only person who has taken this for fun MORE THAN ONCE.
I am at a 5 right now…but that’s if I go totally un-processed food, which we are supposed to start tomorrow. Of course, I’m the type of person who is like…”Ooooh…I could totally get to 4!” ;-)I’m such a geek.