Ecological footprint quiz

By Murray Bourne, 24 Nov 2007

Here's an Ecological footprint calculator which helps you to determine what impact you are having on the Earth's resources.

After answering the 14 questions in the quiz, the depressing outcome for me was:

TOTAL FOOTPRINT: 23 ACRES

This means that my lifestyle 'requires' 23 acres (equivalent to 9.3 hectares). This is quite something, considering I have no car, I walk to work, I don't eat much meat and lately, I have not travelled overseas much.

It continues:

WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.

IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 5.2 PLANETS.

Groan...

Note 1: Of course, these things are accurate ±50%. For example, there was no question about air conditioner use in the quiz. In Singapore, many people run their air-cons overnight at ridiculously low temperatures (like 18°C). We don't, since it is quite unnecessary. This should have a large impact on the footprint figures.

Note 2: This ecological footprint quiz reminds me of the carbon footprint tool that I wrote about earlier.

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