Global Footprints

[thorfinn]

An odd little survey by the BBC came up on a mailing list I'm on... The Disposable Planet Quiz.

Apparently, if everybody lived like me, we would need 3.3 planets.

Food	3.7
Mobility	0.8
Shelter	0.3
Goods/Services	1.1
Total Footprint	5.9

Australia's average is 7.6 global hectares per person.
Worldwide, there exist 1.8 biologically productive global hectares per person.
I'm amused that nearly 2/3rds of my footprint is "food"... I guess that fits with being heavily carnivorous, and otherwise reasonably eco-conscious.

Comments

[anothertwilight.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I have a similar distribution (inner city, share housing brings shelter down, I live 30 mins walk from work, and 45 from the city centre so transport is right down), although my carnivorous state has been dropping due to living with vegetarians *mock sigh*.

The problem I see is that to get the housing density necesary for decent arrangements of shelter, you cannot have locally produced foodstuffs. All this really says is that we are grossly overpopulated and that cities, over a certain size, are hardly the most efficient forms of eco-sustainability, but are the only way to go for a post-industrial population over a million or two.

[leadgend.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, that's a lot of food! I got the following results:
--------------------------------------------------------
If everyone lived like you, we would need 3.4 planets.

Category global hectares

Food 2.8
Mobility 0.5
Shelter 1.4
Goods/Services 1.5
Total Footprint 6.2

In comparison, the average ecological footprint in your country is 7.6 global hectares per person. Worldwide, there exist 1.8 biologically productive global hectares per person.
--------------------------------------------------------

I got a lot higher for shelter, you're not living in a tent in your back yard are you? :)

Django.

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

It's especially a lot given how little he is!

[thorfinn]

Heh. :) Food is my most expensive hobby. :) As for the housing thing... it should probably double - I said I was living with somebody, but they're moving out, and I have no intentions of sharing again for a bit. And the place itself isn't that large, so sharing a smallish place, plus being in an apartmenty thing, means a very low "housing" footprint.

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

What *are* you eating these days?

[thorfinn]

Everything? No, really. Various sorts of Chinese food (Malaysian/Singaporean, Vietnamese, Cantonese/Hong Kong, Thai, Japanese, in about that order) is most likely, then Italian, then Indian, then Steakhouse. :) Sometimes out, sometimes in, for all of the above.

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

MMmmmmm. :)

[lirion.livejournal.com]

This came up ages ago on JJJ... I did it then, can't remember the result though... IT was done for a particular day, you know 'National Environmental Day' or somewhat :)

eeenteresting

[subtle-eye.livejournal.com]

Im a 2.1 planet person myself ...

Food             3.1
Mobility         0.2
Shelter          0.2
Goods/Services   0.3
Total Footprint  3.8

The whole carnivore thing does really bump it up, especially combined with processed food. I'd be interested to see the weighting air travel has, as I dimly recall Suzuki mentioning how resource hungry it is.

Maybe the answer is the staple "fungus food" in so many cyberpunk universes. Reduced impact and minimal transport requirement.

Anybody else see the article in yesterday's Herald re: Materialism?

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/27/1030053058457.html

[nigelw.livejournal.com]

4.6 planets for me.

The car use and pre-packaged diet food which includes meat are the killers, I reckon.

[longi.livejournal.com]

If everyone lived like you, we would need 4.6 planets.

Food 3.7
Mobility 0.9
Shelter 1.3
Goods/Services 2.3
Total Footprint 8.2

In comparison, the average ecological footprint in your country is 7.6 global hectares per person.

Ok, I suck.