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I participated in two pre-conference activities, the Ecological Footprint Calculator and the Water Footprint Calculator to gain useful knowledge on the sustainability of my carbon and water consumption. Both of these activities provided surprising results, in addition to insightful and effective methods of reducing my personal footprint affecting climate change.
The Ecological Footprint Calculator was certainly a great revelation as it stated that in the circumstance that every person maintained similar lifestyles to myself, it would require 3.2 Planet Earths to support the human population. The primary factor of my Ecological Footprint was Food (38%), followed by Mobility (19%), Shelter (18%), Services (17%) and Goods (8%). The Food component is the leading factor that can be reduced through consuming less processed/packaged foods and more local and natural sources. As many Australians do, I live a lavish lifestyle with easily access to many sources that impact directly and indirectly to climate change and consequently the environment. These sources are consuming at least 10.6 tonnes of carbon per year, which is detrimental to the preservation of this planet. As a result, the Ecological Footprint Calculator simulation has provided valuable information on my footprint.
Similarly, the Water Footprint Calculator contained astonishing results. It was calculated that I consume 1025m3 of water per year, well under the global average of 1243m3. In the 1025m3 of water per year, 796m3 of that is from the Food component (402m3 from meat sources), 41m3 from Industrial sources water and 187m3 from Domestic products and services. The results display that it is possible to reduce water intake through multiple methods, particularly decreasing water influenced meat products. Furthermore, this data explains that although not indefinitely sustainable, my personal water consumption has aided the decrease in the global water footprint.
Both footprint simulations are very knowledgeable and insightful in providing insignificant methods to collectively produce a significant result in reducing the effects of climate change. Similar to many Australians and citizens of the Planet Earth, by reducing the slightest component of my diets or the use of vehicles, I could assist in preserving the natural beauty of our environment hopefully for many generations to come.
