APES- Earth Day Network Footprint Calculator
http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.html
Name: Samantha Sihakoun
Question: How many planets (Earth) does it take to support your lifestyle? 4.8
Questions:
1) How often do you eat animal based products?
I eat animal based products pretty much everyday
Why do you think this affects your footprint? Explain.
This affects it because eating animal based products everyday, means more animals are being killed & shipped to my area.
2) How much of your food is processed, packaged and not locally grown?
All of my food is processed, packaged and not locally grown
Why do you think this affects your footprint? Explain.
It affects it because eating food that is processed, packaged, & no locally grown means that it requires transportation which pollutes the air, & it also requires lots of resources used to make it.
3) How much trash do you generate?
I generate as much trash as a normal person would, but I also recycle bottles, cans, cardboard, & glass
What affects does this have on your footprint? Why?
This affects it because all the trash I generate goes into landfills, & all the items I recycle will be reused and produced into new products, instead of wasting it.
4) Which housing type best describes your home?
A house that's free standing with running water
Why would this make a difference in your impact?
This makes a difference because of the material & things used to build the house.
5) Do you have electricity in your home?
Yes
What are the environmental impacts of electricity? Explain.
To make electricity we either use coal that requires mining or use fossil fuels that are released into our air.
6) How many people are in your home?
Including me 6 people
7) What is your house made of?
My house is made out of cement
Which building material is the most energy efficient? Explain.
I think the best would be concrete because it offers a high degree of thermal mass
8) Does anyone of your home’s electricity come from renewable sources? (SDGE= no)
No
9) How far do you travel by car each week?
About 3-10 miles per week
Do you carpool or do anything to reduce your impact?
Yes, everyday going to school
10) Do you ride a motorcycle?
No
11) What is the gas mileage in your car/motorbike?
About 5-15 miles per gallon
12) How often do you drive with someone else?
Every single day
13) How far do you travel by bus/train each week?
I've never traveled by a bus/train
14) How many hours do you fly each year?
I don't fly
http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.html
Name: Samantha Sihakoun
Question: How many planets (Earth) does it take to support your lifestyle? 4.8
Questions:
1) How often do you eat animal based products?
I eat animal based products pretty much everyday
Why do you think this affects your footprint? Explain.
This affects it because eating animal based products everyday, means more animals are being killed & shipped to my area.
2) How much of your food is processed, packaged and not locally grown?
All of my food is processed, packaged and not locally grown
Why do you think this affects your footprint? Explain.
It affects it because eating food that is processed, packaged, & no locally grown means that it requires transportation which pollutes the air, & it also requires lots of resources used to make it.
3) How much trash do you generate?
I generate as much trash as a normal person would, but I also recycle bottles, cans, cardboard, & glass
What affects does this have on your footprint? Why?
This affects it because all the trash I generate goes into landfills, & all the items I recycle will be reused and produced into new products, instead of wasting it.
4) Which housing type best describes your home?
A house that's free standing with running water
Why would this make a difference in your impact?
This makes a difference because of the material & things used to build the house.
5) Do you have electricity in your home?
Yes
What are the environmental impacts of electricity? Explain.
To make electricity we either use coal that requires mining or use fossil fuels that are released into our air.
6) How many people are in your home?
Including me 6 people
7) What is your house made of?
My house is made out of cement
Which building material is the most energy efficient? Explain.
I think the best would be concrete because it offers a high degree of thermal mass
8) Does anyone of your home’s electricity come from renewable sources? (SDGE= no)
No
9) How far do you travel by car each week?
About 3-10 miles per week
Do you carpool or do anything to reduce your impact?
Yes, everyday going to school
10) Do you ride a motorcycle?
No
11) What is the gas mileage in your car/motorbike?
About 5-15 miles per gallon
12) How often do you drive with someone else?
Every single day
13) How far do you travel by bus/train each week?
I've never traveled by a bus/train
14) How many hours do you fly each year?
I don't fly
Edit your Footprint by making CHANGES to your lifestyle. List the changes you have made to your lifestyle below and the impact it had on your ecological footprint. Show your new results.
Changes Made:
1) Eating fewer animal-based foods
2) Purchasing products that use less packaging or are made out of recycled material
3) Using more energy from renewable sources
4) Using less electricity
5) Re-using reusable items, instead of throwing them away
Changes Made:
1) Eating fewer animal-based foods
2) Purchasing products that use less packaging or are made out of recycled material
3) Using more energy from renewable sources
4) Using less electricity
5) Re-using reusable items, instead of throwing them away
Impact on my Ecological Footprint: (Draw out NEW results based on changes made)
Reflect on what you learned by doing this activity:
Doing this activity made me realize that if everyone lived the way I did, each person would need 4.8 Earths to provide enough resources. The fact that I used that many resources has convinced me to cut back. I later went back to change my footprint by consuming less animal-based foods, using energy renewable sources, and buying products that use less packaging. Choosing to change some things made me reduce my footprint from 4.8 Earths to 3.6 Earths. Finding out that the little changes that I make in my life can save one planet Earth made me realize what a big difference it'll make if everyone else in the world did the same.
Doing this activity made me realize that if everyone lived the way I did, each person would need 4.8 Earths to provide enough resources. The fact that I used that many resources has convinced me to cut back. I later went back to change my footprint by consuming less animal-based foods, using energy renewable sources, and buying products that use less packaging. Choosing to change some things made me reduce my footprint from 4.8 Earths to 3.6 Earths. Finding out that the little changes that I make in my life can save one planet Earth made me realize what a big difference it'll make if everyone else in the world did the same.