Earth Day Quiz & Discussion
I found this quiz on the Earth Day website. I scored miserably. See how you did and let us know! (And please... if your score is much better than mine... maybe you need to be doing the posting and give me ideas).

CATEGORY/ACRES
FOOD/4.2
MOBILITY/6.4
SHELTER/7.7
GOODS/SERVICES/12.8
TOTAL FOOTPRINT/31

IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.

IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 7 PLANETS.

I tried putting in a few things I'd be willing to change... reduce meat consumption, increase biking & carpooling... that got my rating down to a 30. Not encouraging.

EDITED: For those of you concerned with my obscene score... I re-took the quiz with all the same answers and said I never went on airplanes. Surprise, surprise, I now needed 20 earths instead of 31. I will say, I do flying for my job, and my job is to make America's largest hospitals go paperless.

(Post a new comment)

	purpletigron 2005-04-22 07:10 am UTC (link)
	I take up 1.6 Earths, and I've been working on this for a number of years. I have given up flying completely, I am also car free, I share my house, I eat vegan as often as possible, I grow some of my own food, I buy most of my produce from local farmers, and I travel by human power as much as possible. Actually, most of this stuff is either no problem, or great fun :-) (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-22 07:17 am UTC

(no subject) - purpletigron, 2005-04-22 11:12 am UTC

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-22 01:19 pm UTC

(no subject) - purpletigron, 2005-04-25 08:00 am UTC

	moshibaboon 2005-04-22 07:11 am UTC (link)
	i would need two and a half planets, but i suspect i fared as such because i take trains everywhere xx (Reply to this)

blackbyrd2 2005-04-22 07:32 am UTC (link)

Don't put too much faith in this quiz, or be too hard on yourself. I'm pretty sure their math is awfully fuzzy. A friend at work played with it, and found the only way to get down to one planet was to share his 500 sq ft apt with 8 friends, and never leave it. It's good for keeping people aware of what impact they have, but it ignores a lot of stuff like the entire concept of a society where everyone contributes something, and the synergy that creates. (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-22 07:35 am UTC

(no subject) - purpletigron, 2005-04-22 11:05 am UTC

(no subject) - opelate, 2005-04-22 12:58 pm UTC

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-23 05:17 am UTC

(no subject) - blueheron, 2005-04-22 01:30 pm UTC

	scraatch 2005-04-22 07:41 am UTC (link)
	1.6. I'm environmentally concious.. but it's really facilitated by being poor. (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-22 07:53 am UTC

(no subject) - purpletigron, 2005-04-22 11:08 am UTC

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-22 01:21 pm UTC

(no subject) - lavajin, 2005-04-22 10:10 pm UTC

(no subject) - jameslentz, 2005-04-25 04:09 am UTC

(no subject) - purpletigron, 2005-04-25 08:04 am UTC

hazykev 2005-04-22 08:09 am UTC (link)

1.3 planets for me in the UK... I'm a teacher who shares a house with four others and I grow my own food. I'm still feeling pretty guilty about the whole thing - I wonder what more I could do? I think its because I started driving to work, I used to take the cycle but you try teaching after a 10 mile ride in morning in the freezing rain! As my report card once said, "must do better". - k e v - (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - purpletigron, 2005-04-22 11:07 am UTC

dingdongdead 2005-04-22 12:10 pm UTC (link)

CATEGORY/ACRES FOOD/4 MOBILITY/0.7 SHELTER/3 GOODS/SERVICES/3.5 TOTAL FOOTPRINT/11 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 2.5 PLANETS. the only reason that i looked good on this quiz is because i barely eat anything, and i very rarely drive. (Reply to this)

3.6 opelate 2005-04-22 12:55 pm UTC (link)

CATEGORY GLOBAL HECTARES FOOD 1.1 MOBILITY 0.5 SHELTER 0.9 GOODS/SERVICES 1.1 TOTAL FOOTPRINT 3.6 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 7.6 GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 1.8 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 2 PLANETS. I think my downfall is driving . . . I have a problem with being around people too much. Which is the whole concept of public transport . . . plus, I tend to go adventuring on my own, going to out-of-the-way places. Really have to cut that down. I've taken another quiz like this which said I was something like 0.8 planets, so it is all about who sets the quiz up and what they're asking. I do know that being vegetarian makes a huge difference, let alone being vegan. I'm a strict vego and mostly soy replacements for dairy products - and vegan ideals for general consumerism. That other test I mentioned - I filled it out again, but saying I was a regular meat eater, which bumped the planet consumption WAY up. It's not always about hurting those cute cows. The planet suffers from so damn many of those cute cows. (Reply to this)

	tilly_cat 2005-04-22 01:17 pm UTC (link)
	My big downfall is driving and a total lack of public transportation. I live in a town of less than 1000, and we all have to drive pretty far distances to go to work. And my willing addiction to dairy products. (Reply to this)

blueheron 2005-04-22 01:44 pm UTC (link)

CATEGORY GLOBAL HECTARES FOOD 0.5 MOBILITY 0 SHELTER 0.4 GOODS/SERVICES 0.3 TOTAL FOOTPRINT 1.2 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 8.8 GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 1.8 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 1.0 PLANETS. (Un?)fortunately, this is soon going to change as I am moving into a bigger place. * I ride my bike everywhere, except for the once a year when I have to go to Toronto for work. * My house is full of energy efficient things, including my fridge and my computer and my washing machine (the three biggest energy consuming devices that I own). * I am vegan * Eat almost entirely locally produced foods that I buy from the local farmers market. During the fall I freeze and can good to help get me through the winter (buying fresh fruits and veggies from all over the world, while delicious and convenient, is just terrible for the environment). * As an added advantage, there is much less packaging waste when buying directly from the farmer. I think that my biggest processed food is soy milk, which is also unfortunately not local. I also compost biological waste (wich is all vegetable anyway). I use re-usable containers for everything from lunch, to filling up on my laundrey detergent (biodegradable), and my own bags for grocery shopping. (Reply to this)

	1.6 stillmotion 2005-04-22 01:45 pm UTC (link)
	FOOD 0.5 MOBILITY 0.3 HOUSING 1 GOODS/SERVICES 1 TOTAL FOOTPRINT 2.8 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 8.8 GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXISTS 1.8 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 1.6 PLANETS TO LIVE ON. (Reply to this)

	blueheron 2005-04-22 01:47 pm UTC (link)
	Wow, has anyone else looked at the "average ecological foodprint in your country" listings? I thought that Canada was pretty high at 8.8, because the Aussies can do it in 7.6. But look at the United Sates: 24 Global Hectars per person. Wow. (Reply to this)

	solsistr3 2005-04-22 01:52 pm UTC (link)
	I had a 15acre footprint (3.3 earths). I'm working on eating more local food and getting greener shelter. Once I get out of my apartment and start working on The Dreamhouse, that number should go down! (Reply to this)

	geekjul 2005-04-22 02:06 pm UTC (link)
	I came in exactly average at 24. I take up 5.5 planets. (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - peacelovehappy, 2005-04-22 02:56 pm UTC

(no subject) - blueheron, 2005-04-22 06:43 pm UTC

locakitty 2005-04-22 03:21 pm UTC (link)

CATEGORY ACRES FOOD 3.5 MOBILITY 0.7 SHELTER 5.4 GOODS/SERVICES 4.2 TOTAL FOOTPRINT 14 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 3.1 PLANETS. I pretty much stay at home every evening (unless I have plans, then I drive about 25 miles to get to where my friend is so that we can go hang out, or just hang at her house). I've cut way down on the meat, now I have to start going to the farmer's market. Which, I have found out where it is, now I just have to get down there. I'm working on it! I have noticed though, I go through about one bag of garbage a week (and I bought those seventh generation bags that were recommended here), which is quite different from the one bag every day when I was living with 2 other people. Baby steps :) (Reply to this)

	richtermom 2005-04-22 03:45 pm UTC (link)
	16 acre footprint. I don't know how to drive, I do vegetarian options a lot, but I don't have much option to buy local food, and I do live in the occasional tundra. What's funny is I took this about a year or so ago and scored a 15 acre footprint.... I don't know how I got worse.... We will be getting a local coop in the next couple months, so I think THAT will help. (Reply to this)

delwyncole 2005-04-22 04:28 pm UTC (link)

CATEGORY/ACRES FOOD/3.7 MOBILITY/0.2 SHELTER/2.2 GOODS/SERVICES/2.2 TOTAL FOOTPRINT/8 I need 1.9 planets. This is greatly facillitated by the fact that I hate to drive, so walk almost everywhere and share a 700 sq. foot house with three other people. If I ate vegetarian more often (I'm still relatively carnivorous eating meat 2-3 times a week) I'd do much better, plus we do produce quite a bit of waste(though not more than the people around us). Not a lot I can do about that. Most of it is stuff related to my grandmother's health care. We do a pretty good job of converting food and paper waste to compost. (Reply to this)

	sdragon 2005-04-22 05:13 pm UTC (link)
	My footprint varies from 8 to 13, depending on if I count my new apartment with my brother this summer (8) or staying at home (13). Don't feel bad about flying; just as how some people have to drive because they live in remote areas, so too do some need to fly for their jobs. Like most quizzes online, it's a good way to raise your own awareness more than anything else. (Reply to this)

	easy_target182 2005-04-22 05:13 pm UTC (link)
	CATEGORY ACRES FOOD 2.5 MOBILITY 0.2 SHELTER 5.9 GOODS/SERVICES 4.2 TOTAL FOOTPRINT 13 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 2.9 PLANETS. (Reply to this)

	dandylionkats 2005-04-22 06:19 pm UTC (link)
	For goods/services might that have something to do with living in Madison? Depending on where you live- there are some neighborhoods that are pretty good about this stuff... ie Willy street- which I so love. <3 So I wouldn't really count some of those immediate neighborhoods as a good indicator- not very representative of the average. (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-22 07:20 pm UTC

pandi_b 2005-04-22 10:17 pm UTC (link)

for me, everyone would need 3.8 planets... this could be from all my flying (live in NYC, go to school in Wisconsin)... still, looking at everyone elses results, i bet i could get somewhat lower but living in compartively cold climates and liking meat would probably limit my improvement. other than that, i based all my answers on growing up in NYC... that meaning, i live in a tiny apt with parents, i dont drive, i pretty much only take public transport, i dont have enough room to grow my own food, we use energy efficient appliances (laundry, etc. shared with the whole building).... u get the picture! i bet if i went to school closer than i would have faired better (but then i would drive the miles there?..... hmmmm) catch 22 here, huh? (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-25 07:21 am UTC

(no subject) - pandi_b, 2005-04-25 02:01 pm UTC

	meanoldmom 2005-04-22 10:59 pm UTC (link)
	Ouch! I got nailed at a 35 footprint, 7.9 planets. My biggest penalty was having a large house with only two people living in it. Guess I am supposed to sell the house and furniture and move to something small now that the kids have moved out. Course then I won't have room for them or the grandkids to sleep if they come visit. (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-25 07:22 am UTC

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-25 07:24 am UTC

So I got a 10 in a 24 country...it means nothing! drscribe 2005-04-23 12:22 am UTC (link)

An odd quiz. I mean "a free standing house without running water"?! Or without electricity? Speaking for myself, I'd rather not start eliminating indoor plumbing just yet....it that really on the table?! Another oddity is comparing household waste with those in the nieghborhood around you. Where I live now, most people are really eco minded, there is mucho recycling-much more than garbage in every household I know. People don't generate much waste, and a great deal of the food is local. A year ago, I was living in Los Angeles, great amounts of waste generated by my neighbors,minimal recycling, all of the food produced far away. So a person generating less waste than the nieghbors is very relative. If your nieghbors are wasteful affluent urbanites, you can produce a lot of garbage and still get a good score. Have you seen the size of Beverly Hills grabage containers? Lord! So it is a fun quiz, but one that does not ask about one's clothing or upholstery choices, for example. They say it takes 4 or 5 cowhides to do an auto interior. That's about 75 grocery bags packed with beef from the same animals. So someone buying a new car every 5 years w/ leather is hitting the animal world much harder than a moderate meat eater..... We all do what we can, and that which we see as wasteful another seems as necessary. The way our society as a whole is set up, it is hard for an individual to really be green or clean across the board...it is good to see where we waste, and try to mitigate in another direction. It is really about balance... (Reply to this)

	arbus 2005-04-23 04:02 am UTC (link)
	my total footprint is 26. eep. just above average for the u.s. i suspect my 400+ miles per week and no public transit (i live in a very rural place, its not even an option) put me up there. (Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - orangeclouds115, 2005-04-23 05:21 am UTC

	goddess_with_me 2005-04-23 05:45 am UTC (link)
	CATEGORY ACRES FOOD 3.2 MOBILITY 0.5 SHELTER 3 GOODS/SERVICES 2.5 TOTAL FOOTPRINT 9 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 2.1 PLANETS. (Reply to this)

	smilegal_246 2005-04-24 03:30 pm UTC (link)
	CATEGORY GLOBAL HECTARES FOOD 0.7 MOBILITY 1.6 SHELTER 0.8 GOODS/SERVICES 3.8 TOTAL FOOTPRINT 6.9 IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 2.3 GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 1.8 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 3.8 PLANETS. (Reply to this)

---