Use the footprint tool from the website What Is Your Ecological Footprint?Links to an external site. to calculate your ecological footprint. At every opportunity, please select the “add details to improve accuracy” option. At the end of the footprint activity, make a note of how many Earths would be required if everyone lived like you. Then click on “see details” to obtain the following information:
Your ecological footprint, in global hectares (a hectare is about 2.5 acres).
Your top three consumption categories.
Finally, research on the footprint website some ways you might reduce your footprint, identifying a few specific ones that you might put into practice throughout the course.
Part B: Household Carbon Emissions Footprint
Next, use the Carbon Footprint CalculatorLinks to an external site. to calculate your household carbon emissions footprint. After answering all the questions,
Make a note of your carbon emissions footprint in pounds. Is it above or below the U.S. average household carbon footprint?
Explore specific actions suggested by the website that you might take to reduce your footprint. Which of them might be practical to undertake in the next five weeks?
Part C: Water Footprint
Finally, use the Water Footprint CalculatorLinks to an external site. to calculate your daily water footprint. After answering all the questions,
Make a note of your gallons-per-day water footprint.
Record the top three contributors to it.
Scroll on the page to access a series of “Tips” buttons you can click on for advice on reducing your footprint. Again, note some specific ideas you see that might be practical to implement over the next five weeks.
In your initial post of at least 200 words,
Copy and paste your completed Environmental Footprint Table into your post.
Examine the numerical results of your three footprint calculations by answering the following questions:
What did you learn that surprised you about your consumption habits?
What lifestyle changes could you make that would reduce one or more of the three footprints? Propose a minimum of five. These do not have to be the ones you use in the course-long project; over the course of the discussion, you may choose other ones based on classmates’ recommendations. You will be recording your final choices for lifestyle changes in your journal at the end of the week.
For each lifestyle change, which footprint are you trying to lower? Discuss potential obstacles to making those changes, and then suggest ways you might overcome those obstacles.
