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Author Topic: What's Your Ecological Footprint?
Nikita
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posted 14 June 2005 12:56 PM      Profile for Nikita     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
This was part of an assignment for my geography course (Space, Place, and Society). I calculated my footprint this morning and it came out to 8.10 acres (the student average being 10 acres).

http://tinyurl.com/bgdhb


From: Regina | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged
rockerbiff
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posted 14 June 2005 01:04 PM      Profile for rockerbiff   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Interestingly I filled in my data and got over 11.6 acres. I went back and cut down my Airplane flying hours to 0 and got 6.3. My original flying time was one trip down to Disneyland and trip down to Vegas for a total of 8 hours.

So it looks like flying is a major factor in your ecological footprint.


From: Republic of East Van | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged
Cougyr
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posted 14 June 2005 01:10 PM      Profile for Cougyr     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Mine was 32. I think it's the coffee; I'm an adict.
From: over the mountain | Registered: Nov 2002  |  IP: Logged
kuri
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posted 14 June 2005 01:15 PM      Profile for kuri   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I wasn't exactly sure what to enter in the food categories. I multiplied my weekly of servings of each kind by the number specified, but that doesn't really make much sense to me.

Anyway, mine was 21. I drink a fair amount of coffee and fly a lot. So the air travel probably (as rockerbiff said) made the biggest difference anyway.


From: an employer more progressive than rabble.ca | Registered: Jun 2003  |  IP: Logged
West Coast Greeny
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posted 14 June 2005 01:25 PM      Profile for West Coast Greeny     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
12.4...

Thing is, I don't own my own car or house, so when I cut down my driving to when I drive, and my housing to just MY room, we get to... 10 on the nose.

I cant really do this for myself, when you share a home or car, because you share a footprint, right?


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RP.
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posted 14 June 2005 01:30 PM      Profile for RP.     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
It was interesting to see what you would have to change to get below the "fair" amount of 5.5.

For me, it was changing the miles driven/week from 80 (to work every day and a trip every week) to 30 (walk/bike to work everyday and a trip every 2 weeks).

By plugging in the average amounts for meat, I find I add 3 acres just like that.


From: I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle | Registered: Nov 2004  |  IP: Logged
Granola Girl
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posted 14 June 2005 01:48 PM      Profile for Granola Girl     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
21 - I really wasn't expecting that much. I also think coffee and commercial flying are to blame. Wow. Just think how much worse it would be if I drove a car regularly! Looks like I have some work to do...
From: East Van | Registered: Jan 2005  |  IP: Logged
Mr. Magoo
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posted 14 June 2005 02:00 PM      Profile for Mr. Magoo   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
It has a place where I can enter how much chicken I eat, but where do I say how much California Condor I eat?
From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged
Melsky
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posted 14 June 2005 02:14 PM      Profile for Melsky   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Magoo:
It has a place where I can enter how much chicken I eat, but where do I say how much California Condor I eat?

I hope you are joking - I heard their meat is tough and stringy.


From: Toronto | Registered: Dec 2003  |  IP: Logged
Nikita
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posted 14 June 2005 02:31 PM      Profile for Nikita     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Interesting note about the fields under 'Food'. There is no space regarding food that is prepackaged, unlike other forms I have filled out.
From: Regina | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged
Contrarian
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posted 14 June 2005 02:42 PM      Profile for Contrarian     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
11.4; maybe the coffee, and more beef than chicken, but I cleared all without thinking and did not want to try to remember what I had entered to make comparisons.

Interesting test.

[ 14 June 2005: Message edited by: Contrarian ]


From: pretty far west | Registered: Jul 2004  |  IP: Logged
GJJ
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posted 14 June 2005 03:02 PM      Profile for GJJ        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
12.4, which was higher than I expected ... I was sure I'd come out quite a bit less than the average instead of above. Probably the car, though out in the country there aren't a lot of good alternatives. It'd be interesting to see the algorithm they use.
From: Saskatoon | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged
Cougyr
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posted 14 June 2005 03:21 PM      Profile for Cougyr     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yes, flying is a big one. We went to Asia; that wuld do it.

We don't have to compost. Our local dump does it. It has this huge composting operation and, for a small fee, one can get all the best compost one could ever want.


From: over the mountain | Registered: Nov 2002  |  IP: Logged
K Connor
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posted 14 June 2005 03:35 PM      Profile for K Connor        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Definitely the flying. 19.3 with the flight to Japan; 6.3 without. Playing with the coffee numbers didn't make much difference.
From: Montreal | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged
Mr. Magoo
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posted 14 June 2005 03:40 PM      Profile for Mr. Magoo   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
I hope you are joking - I heard their meat is tough and stringy.

You can tenderize it easily — and this goes for Whooping Crane too — by simmering it with some Trillum roots (about a pound will do).

And yes, kidding.


From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged
K Connor
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posted 14 June 2005 03:55 PM      Profile for K Connor        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
A much more sophisticated calculator can be found here.

I gave false answers to get to using only 1 Earth (assuming everyone living at the same standard); it's pretty much impossible, even with 10 people living in 45 m2 of space. That's partly because of assumptions they make about the North American lifestyle, esp. driving. There are also perverse effects where the more public transit you use, the lower your score because the assumption is that you're driving less, instead of biking less. The One Ton Challenge calculator has similar problems: the more you recycle the better even though this could mean you're buying more stuff.


From: Montreal | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged
Timebandit
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posted 14 June 2005 04:19 PM      Profile for Timebandit     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Just under 17 acres. However, my office/workplace is included in my house size, and I share my house with 3 other people. I also travel a bit, so I'm sure flying is a factor. Still.
From: Urban prairie. | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
remind
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posted 14 June 2005 04:40 PM      Profile for remind     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
5.7 do not do pork, very little beef, wine, eggs or pop, juice or dairy, rarely fly anymore and try to take transit/walk to keep my milege under 20 miles a week. All my lightbulbs are energy efficient, composite, recycle and appliances are new and highest efficiency ratings. Also have toilets that have 1/2 tank water flow for mini flushes.
From: "watching the tide roll away" | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged
Anchoress
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posted 14 June 2005 04:43 PM      Profile for Anchoress     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
5.5972669999999995 acres.

The other one said: 8.49 acres. Your footprint measures 33.68% of an average North American's footprint and 38.17% of an average MEC Eco-Footprint Calculation (based on average results from this calculator), but it had a few flaws, I think; for instance it didn't have anywhere to say you never ride a car. It assumed you owned one, and also the lowest number a person could put as the number of kms they drove per year was 60/wk.

[ 14 June 2005: Message edited by: Anchoress ]


From: Vancouver babblers' meetup July 9 @ Cafe Deux Soleil! | Registered: Nov 2003  |  IP: Logged
Cougyr
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posted 14 June 2005 04:44 PM      Profile for Cougyr     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by remind:
Also have toilets that have 1/2 tank water flow for mini flushes.

I have yet to see one of those that doesn't plug up all the time.


From: over the mountain | Registered: Nov 2002  |  IP: Logged
remind
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posted 14 June 2005 04:49 PM      Profile for remind     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Mine never have once plugged up, they have a incredible force. If I think it looks like too much to go down I push the large flush button though.
From: "watching the tide roll away" | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged
Jay Pausner
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posted 14 June 2005 04:53 PM      Profile for Jay Pausner     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
There was a better calculator for this some time ago. It allowed the user to include more detailed information about consumption levels and more allowance for locally/organically/etc produced goods.

But I'll be damned that Redefining Progress decided to use a simplified quiz calculator.

I have the more detailed spreadsheet, if anyone wants it. Send me a private message and I'll send you the file (Exce format).


From: Owen Sound, Ontario | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged
Mr. Magoo
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posted 14 June 2005 05:46 PM      Profile for Mr. Magoo   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
I have yet to see one of those that doesn't plug up all the time.

Ya, that's why you can cut your footprint by using a low-flush toilet, or by adopting a totally vegetarian diet, but not both.


From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged
Contrarian
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posted 14 June 2005 05:55 PM      Profile for Contrarian     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Magoo:
Ya, that's why you can cut your footprint by using a low-flush toilet, or by adopting a totally vegetarian diet, but not both.

Ha ha ha ha ha! [straightens face and purses lips] I have no idea what you meant by that.

From: pretty far west | Registered: Jul 2004  |  IP: Logged
Anchoress
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posted 14 June 2005 06:10 PM      Profile for Anchoress     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Oh man Magoo that was funny. Or it would have been, if it weren't TRUE!!
From: Vancouver babblers' meetup July 9 @ Cafe Deux Soleil! | Registered: Nov 2003  |  IP: Logged
Hephaestion
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posted 14 June 2005 06:46 PM      Profile for Hephaestion   Author's Homepage        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
9.389705000000001 acres.

No car, no flights, but I'm a coffee PIG!


From: goodbye... :-( | Registered: Dec 2003  |  IP: Logged
Mr. Magoo
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posted 14 June 2005 06:51 PM      Profile for Mr. Magoo   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
What was the 0.000000000000001 acres at the end there? Did you use a toothpick or something?
From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged
gula
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posted 14 June 2005 06:52 PM      Profile for gula     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Flying definitely seems to make the difference. I came to 5.3 without and 32.1 with. Wow.

quote:
Originally posted by K Connor:
A much more sophisticated calculator can be found here.

I gave false answers to get to using only 1 Earth (assuming everyone living at the same standard); it's pretty much impossible, even with 10 people living in 45 m2 of space. That's partly because of assumptions they make about the North American lifestyle, esp. drivin. There are also perverse effects where the more public transit you use, the lower your score because the assumption is that you're driving less, instead of biking less. The One Ton Challenge calculator has similar problems: the more you recycle the better even though this could mean you're buying more stuff.


Exactly, it won't let me do the test unless I specifiy miles/gallon for my non-existent car. Perhaps not so sophisticated after all?


From: Montréal | Registered: Jul 2004  |  IP: Logged
Agent 204
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posted 14 June 2005 06:54 PM      Profile for Agent 204   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
7.91 ac, though that's likely to skyrocket next week when I start my new job (which isn't accessible by public transit). The MEC calculator says 5.36 ha, which is 13.2 ac.

[ 14 June 2005: Message edited by: Agent 204 ]


From: home of the Guess Who | Registered: Nov 2003  |  IP: Logged
Drinkmore
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posted 14 June 2005 07:06 PM      Profile for Drinkmore     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
7.6

As for the MEC one:

quote:
Originally posted by gula:
Exactly, it won't let me do the test unless I specifiy miles/gallon for my non-existent car. Perhaps not so sophisticated after all?

And 60+ km per week or fewer was the lowest choice for driving - mines closer to 60 km per year.

[ 14 June 2005: Message edited by: Drinkmore ]


From: the oyster to the eagle, from the swine to the tiger | Registered: Nov 2004  |  IP: Logged
shaolin
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posted 14 June 2005 10:34 PM      Profile for shaolin     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
20.87 with my flights and 5.06 without them. Wow. I already knew that flying put your score up huge on these things but still - wow.

I found it difficult to make my food estimations, since I don't eat meat and eat dairy less than weekly. I put 22lbs of fruit and veg and 21 servings of pasta. I'm not sure how accurate that is but an extra serving of pasta only tacked on about .01 extra anyway.

Edited: Even with my flights the MEC calculator tells me my footprint is 11.29 acres. Strange.

[ 14 June 2005: Message edited by: shaolin ]


From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jul 2003  |  IP: Logged
RichardGreen
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posted 14 June 2005 10:57 PM      Profile for RichardGreen     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I am 5.3

I don't: eat meat, drive, drink wine, drink milk, drink coffee, use airplane

I also live in a tiny tiny apartment and I use very little water/energy.

I am very low but probably less to do with my conservation than my poverty.


From: Toronto, Ontario | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged
clersal
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posted 14 June 2005 11:53 PM      Profile for clersal     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
6.59
From: Canton Marchand, Québec | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged

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