My score after taking the Quiz was 5.8 Earths. That means that if everyone lived like me, we would need 5.8 Earths to survive. It does however say that I am still like an average American but that is still a problem. I realize that in order to reduce my ecological footprint, I need to make better choices. My lifestyle does not consider the Earths needs and what is required to make it last. I do not however think that I am willing to change the way I live. The way I live I the way I like to live and I am not willing to change that. The reason for that is that I am sure I will not see the impact of the choices I make in my lifetime. The results of the quiz are interesting to know and I will consider how I treat the planet but I am not willing to change my lifestyle at this point in time.
I was able to use the Diet Analysis Plus Program to track everything that I eat in a day.The program is great as it recognizes every brand of food and how many calories are in each serving.Here are the results from one day of eating:
BREYERS All Natural Light French Vanilla Ice Cream
1 c. 235 kCal
Total: 1845 k Cal
During this day, I was actually able to consume less than the average daily caloric intake.Even so, there is still much energy and water used to produce these items and that energy will consequently contribute to our global warming efforts.When it comes to other items I purchase in a day, I can honestly say that I do not make sustainable choices when shopping.When grocery shopping, I use plastic bags which are not biodegradable and are harmful to the environment.More so, I do not recycle the bags I use.Every product I purchase comes either in a cardboard box with Styrofoam or in something plastic.However, avoiding the packaging of these items is virtually unavoidable.Also, not only am I contributing to polluting the Earth, but the manufacturers producing the items are doing so as well.Their energy used is not sustainable to the environment and the gasses produced in their factories are causing global warming.
Our trip to the Matanzas Pass Preserve taught me a lot about that area and the inhabitants of Estero. The lady we spoke with was very insightful and was quite familiar with the subject. She has been through it all and her first hand experiences were remarkable. The boardwalk was interesting as it was completely made of recycled materials. I learned much about the history of commercial fishing in the area and how it was banned put several people out of business. The Conservation 20/20 program, which was created by a group of concerned citizens, noticed that the rate of development in Lee County had increased substantially and time was running short in order to preserve the undeveloped natural areas. Their main goal, as listed on their website, is as follows: • Protect and preserve natural wildlife habitat • Protect and preserve water quality and supply • Protect developed lands from flooding • Provide resource-based recreation I have never heard of this program before but after seeing what they are doing, I am sorry I was never aware. They deserve much credit for what they are doing for conservation and the sacrifices they are making to improve and sustain the land. Although it is a great cause, I do not believe I would visit a place like Matanzas on my own. That is why our class is so important because it makes us aware. I do not know specifically what other programs are out there but I am sure there are people passionate about preserving natural wildlife all over the world. I am fore using tax dollars to preserve the land as it is an important part of our natural world and there is not enough people willing to shell out their own money willingly.
a)I believe it is completely unethical for one person to have complete rights to natural water beneath common ground especially when they are making a profit from it.Although this may be the case for oil, water should not be treated the same.I do however believe that if water was free, we would consume too much of it and consequently, we will have a shortage.I think it is best for the government to intervene and control the underground water usage.This plan will also impact local wildlife as underground water travels throughout the land providing nutrients to plants and trees.The plan does however look to use wind turbines to move the water which will not affect out air pollution.The alternative to this plan may be to import large amounts of water from other areas of the world.Conservation and the recycling of water may also be a solution to the water shortages.
b)Instead of using the rough estimate of how much water I use in a day, I was able to find a site that calculates my water usage by how many times I shower, wash dishes, brush my teeth, etc. and how much time it takes me to do it:
1. How many showers are taken each day in your household?
2. What is the average length (in minutes) of each shower. Enter 6.3 if you are unsure.
3. What is the flow rate (gallons per minute) of your showerhead?
Enter 5 for standard showerhead; 2 for low flow.
4. Total number of baths taken each week by members of your household.
TOILETS
1. Average number of times each person flushes a toilet in your house per day.
Enter 4 if you are unsure.
2. How many gallons does your toilet use per flush?
Enter 5 if you have a standard toilet; 1.6 if you have a low volume toilet.
FAUCETS
1. How many times each day does each household member use faucets to shave,
brush teeth, wash hands and face?
2. How many minutes does the water run during each use?
WASHING DISHES
1. How many times are dishes washed by hand each day?
2. How many minutes does the water run during each wash?
3. If you have a dishwasher, how many times is it used each week?
4. The average dishwasher uses 15 gallons of water per load, change this number
if yours is different.
LAUNDRY
1. How many loads of laundry are done by members of your household each week.
2. The average washing machine uses 55 gallons of water per load, change this
number if yours is different.
-After all of these were considered and calculated, it states that I use 112 total per capita gallons of water in my house.This is 6 gallons more than the average person.I do not make efforts to conserve water but after seeing these results, I am sure to watch my water usage.
My favorite snack, which is actually the most popular candy bar in the world, would have to be the Snickers. It is made by Mars incorporated first began in Tacoma, Washington so essentially, a Snickers would have to travel across the country to me in order to consume it. The ingredients include milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, skimmed milk, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, artificial flavor), peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, skim milk, butter, milkfat, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, lactose, salt, egg whites and artificial flavor. There are no genetically modified ingredients nor is there any water involved in making the candy bar. I was unable to determine how much fossil fuel was used to produce it but I’m sure the factory does produce some form of it. I was quite appalled by the “Future of Food” documentary and the up rise of corporate control over agriculture. As food and agriculture have become central in discussions about climate change, the film was very relatable to our present ecological situation. I have mixed feelings about whether consumers should know what is in their food. Although we should be aware about what we are eating and what can be harmful to our bodies, knowing that information may shun us away from our everyday foods and consequently put companies out of business. The film taught me a lot about chemicals used in our foods and what our agricultural world has become.
The trip to ECHO, which means “Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization”, was both inspirational and it opened my mind to more eco-friendly ways to produce crops. Unaware of exactly what ECHO was, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this farm grows plants entirely from recycled materials. By using recycled materials and leftover pieces and parts, they are able to sustain a clean and ecologically friendly farm. They also play a large part in assisting poor farmers by providing important and useful information about farming. Their innovative ideas allow for farming in the most poor of countries. Personally, my farming experience is limited but after visiting ECHO, I know I have the skills and materials to do so.
