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ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course

Professor's Name
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ANALYTIC MEMORANDUM #2: ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Ecological footprint will and always be my ecological footprint. Ecological footprint:

This is a comprehensive measure that takes into account multiple aspects of human impact on

the environment, including carbon emissions, land use, water use, and resource consumption.

It provides a holistic assessment of the overall ecological impact of human activities.

If everybody lived like me the number of planets. I aim will be a lower number,

ideally closer to 1, which would indicate a sustainable and ecologically responsible lifestyle.

I would aim my Personal Overshoot Day to be late in the year as possible or even

beyond December 31st, indicating that you are living sustainably and not exceeding your fair

share of resources.

Took the Ecological Footprint quiz, what were your thoughts and feelings? Did you

feel like you were taking an exam, or did you feel like you were learning something new

about yourself and the impact of your lifestyle choices on the planet?

For me, taking the quiz was an eye-opening experience. I have always considered

myself an environmentally conscious individual and have made efforts to reduce my carbon

footprint, such as biking to work, composting food waste, and buying locally sourced

produce. However, I had never considered the ecological impact of my daily consumption

habits and how they contribute to the overall health of our planet.

The quiz revealed that my ecological footprint is 4.3 global hectares, which is higher

than the global average of 2.75 global hectares per person. If everyone lived like me, we

would need 2.6 Earths to sustain our current lifestyles. The quiz also indicated that my

Carbon Footprint is 9.08 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, which is lower than the national

average for my country. The Consumption Categories that were most responsible for my

Ecological Footprint were Housing, Food, and Goods & Services. On the other hand, the
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Consumption Categories that had the least impact were Transportation and Waste.( Jones et

al, 2011)

The results of the quiz were surprising to me, as I had expected my Transportation to

have a more significant impact on my Ecological Footprint. However, it makes sense that

Housing, Food, and Goods & Services have a more significant impact since these categories

are essential to our daily lives and require a considerable amount of resources to produce.

After analyzing the results, I reflected on why my Ecological Footprint is so large. I

realized that although I make efforts to reduce my carbon footprint, such as reducing water

usage and using energy-efficient appliances, I still consume too many resources. I buy clothes

and household items I do not need, eat more meat than necessary, and do not always buy

locally sourced produce.

To reduce my Ecological Footprint, I could make changes such as reducing my meat

consumption, purchasing secondhand items, and reducing my energy consumption further.

However, I recognize that factors such as convenience, cost, and societal norms might

prevent me from making these changes.

The Hite & Seitz book "Global Issues" reinforced the impact of our consumption

habits on the environment. The book highlights the importance of reducing consumption

levels and shifting towards a sustainable lifestyle. It also emphasizes the need for

governments and industries to take responsibility and implement policies and practices that

promote sustainable development.

In conclusion, taking the Ecological Footprint quiz was a valuable learning experience

that opened my eyes to the impact of my daily consumption habits on the planet. It inspired

me to make changes to reduce my Ecological Footprint and contribute to a sustainable future.

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References

Jones, C. M., & Kammen, D. M. (2011). Quantifying carbon footprint reduction

opportunities for US households and communities. Environmental science &

technology, 45(9), 4088-4095.