Ecological Footprints [WLO: 3] [CLOs: 3, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, view video The Ecological Footprint Explained (Links to an external site.). The ecological footprint is a tool for helping us to visualize the impacts we make on the environment. In this week’s class discussion, you will have the opportunity to learn more about how connected you are to the ecosystems and biosphere that you inhabit.
In a course-long project beginning this week, you will take on the challenge of lessening your impacts on the environment through reducing the size of your ecological footprint. Specifically, you will identify possible lifestyle changes that would reduce the amount of resources you use and/or the amount of carbon dioxide emissions that you produce. In a course-long experiment, you will determine whether or not it is possible to make a measurable difference in your environmental impact through a few simple actions in your daily life. The first step, of course, is to determine your ecological footprint right now. To do that, you will calculate three footprints: an overall ecological footprint that takes most of our daily behaviors into consideration; a carbon footprint that focuses on our daily carbon emissions that are contributing to global climate change; and a water footprint that assesses daily water use.
Part A: Ecological Footprint
Use the footprint tool from the web page What Is Your Ecological Footprint? (Links to an external site.) to calculate your ecological footprint. At every opportunity, please select the “add details to improve accuracy” option. At the end of the footprint activity, make a note of how many Earths would be required if everyone lived like you. Then click on “see details” to obtain the following information:
Part B: Household Carbon Emissions Footprint
Next, use the Carbon Footprint Calculator (Links to an external site.) to calculate your household carbon emissions footprint. After answering all the questions,
Part C: Water Footprint
Finally, use the Water Footprint Calculator (Links to an external site.) to calculate your daily water footprint. After answering all the questions,
Discussion Post Requirements
Your discussion should include all the information you gathered about your consumption habits from your three footprint calculations, including all numbers with units.
Footprint Table
Week 1ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTHectares: # Earths: Top 3 Consumption Categories: CARBON FOOTPRINTCarbon Emissions (lbs): WATER FOOTPRINTGallons per day: Top 3 Contributors:
Copy the table above and paste into your post, then add your data for each category. You can also access the Footprint Table here. Then, in a well-crafted post of at least 200 additional words, examine the numerical results of your three footprint calculations by answering the following questions:
Note: You will not be able to view others’ posts until you have made your own.
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