Comments on: How big is your “ecological footprint” - and what is it anyway? http://www.djc.com/blogs/BuildingGreen/2008/08/25/how-big-is-your-ecological-footprint-and-what-is-it-anyway/?&owa_from=feed&owa_sid= Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:19:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Shawna Gamache http://www.djc.com/blogs/BuildingGreen/2008/08/25/how-big-is-your-ecological-footprint-and-what-is-it-anyway/#comment-545 Shawna Gamache Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:31:34 +0000 http://www.djc.com/blogs/BuildingGreen/2008/08/25/how-big-is-your-ecological-footprint-and-what-is-it-anyway/#comment-545 After taking the test and being shocked at how many planets it would take to support an earth full of people like me (3.4), I retook it as though I were a complete hermit living with 8 other people with no electricity (I picked the minimums possible in every category). Still two planets used. It's impossible on the test to need fewer than two planet earths to support you. While I think it's great that the test provides such a scary picture of overconsumption and its woes, I fear that such a stark message just makes people want to party like it's 1999. Normally, when I do online carbon calculators, I feel a little relieved that I'm not as bad at most and a lot inspired to do better. This test just makes me think Armageddon. And I'm not sure what to do with that message. Take it and weep! After taking the test and being shocked at how many planets it would take to support an earth full of people like me (3.4), I retook it as though I were a complete hermit living with 8 other people with no electricity (I picked the minimums possible in every category). Still two planets used. It’s impossible on the test to need fewer than two planet earths to support you.

While I think it’s great that the test provides such a scary picture of overconsumption and its woes, I fear that such a stark message just makes people want to party like it’s 1999.

Normally, when I do online carbon calculators, I feel a little relieved that I’m not as bad at most and a lot inspired to do better. This test just makes me think Armageddon. And I’m not sure what to do with that message. Take it and weep!

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