Ecofootprint (Week #12)

My eco footprint ranked at 3.8, but if I reduced my services, which was my biggest contriubutor at 56% by traveling locally this year and buying more products that use less packaging or 100% recycled material, then it would be reduced to 3.5. I understand I can reduce the amount of animals I eat by half, and also pledge to use public transportation, which will ultimately reduce my eco footprint to 3.4. This I cannot do though. I do carpool as much as possible, but I live in a city where public transportation isn't as accommodating or convenient. I need my protein, and I can't imagine giving up meat. I can change a few other things to lower my value in compensation, as listed before, and be more cautious of the amount of electriciy and water I use.

"Some rank the eco footprint as the de facto standard for sustainability metrics." In order for this to be true, the value of the footprint depends on a few factors so that the data is credible and consistent. These factors include the methodology, consistent results and communication of these results, as the website stated. If more and more countries/people adapted the practice, then there would be a higher risk of misrepresentation of data. To avoid this risk, the Global Footprint Network initiated standards worldwide, set forth by the Standards Committee ensuring the Footprint dara is credible and consistent catalyzing an ongoing sustainable future. Since this committee is composed of supporting organizations, the government, consulting firms, academia, NGO's and other Global Network staff, I wouldn't suggest another sustainable index to be more superior, and couldn't imagine one to be out there. But that is just to my knowledge.

There is the carbon footprint but that focuses strictly on the greenhouse gases released due to the burning of fossil fuels, and only makes up for a portion of the ecological portion.