How Big is Your Ecological Footprint?

As more and more studies emerge about the degradation of the environment, everybody wants to point fingers. However, it is important to recognize that we are ALL responsible in some way or another. Sure, there are a lot of things that are beyond our control as individuals. However, our daily choices, such as choosing to eat meat everyday, have a large impact as well. It may be hard to imagine this impact because so many factors come into play. Fortunately, however, there is a tool out there that shows you how many planets we would need if everyone lived the same lifestyle as you. Personally, it really helped me to see my impact more clearly and feel motivated to be better and really think about my personal choices. I encourage you to try it as well.

Essentially, The Ecological Footprint Calculator asks you a series of questions about your lifestyle, for example: how often do you eat animal-based products? If you want more accurate results, click the “add details” button and it will ask you additional questions about the food you eat. At the end of the survey, you will be told how many Earths we would need to provide the required resources if everybody lived like you. You also get to see your personal overshoot day, how much land your lifestyle requires, and even how much CO2 you are emitting per year. Luckily, they provide a list of solutions to reduce your ecological footprint, such as changing your diet, cutting food waste, etc.

Go ahead and give it a try!

https://www.footprintcalculator.org/

My results: 2 Earths, 3.4 footprint, 5.1 carbon footprint