I finally found this site with an awesome footprint calculator. http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/
I just did our house and I was amazed that it will take 3.8 planet earths if everyone lived like we do. It will also take 16.9 global acres. We only have 3.6. I now understand that there are other things I need to do. I need to recycle more, buy less, drive less, and get the rest of the family interested in some renewable heat source, maybe solar. I also need to eat less meat. As big meat eaters, this will be hard.
Take the quiz. Leave me a comment on what your score is and how maybe you plan to make it better.
1 comment:
There are flaws in the calculators, though, which I wish could be remedied. For example, they ask how much you pay for electricity, NOT taking in mind the fact that some of us may be paying significantly higher rates due to the fact that we get 100% of our electricity from renewable resources. I remember when the Dervaes did their calculation it also came out higher than you'd expect, and I think it is partially some of these unaccounted for variables trying to be input into a simplistic calculator. That said, yeah, we all could be doing better for sure! I know we're working on it....the Durango is usually only driven 2 or 3 days a week, otherwise we bus/walk/bike everywhere!
Speaking of recycling...don't know if you have a Whole Foods near you, but they can accept batteries for recycling. They also take #5 plastics (like yogurt containers, sour cream containers, etc.) which most local recyclers don't take. They take 'em in and send them to Preserve and Preserve turns them into toothbrush handles, razors, cutting boards, etc.
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