Breathing Earth and Your Eco Footprint

In the time it’s taken you to read this sentence, the United States has burned 1000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Okay, now get up and stretch, go pet the cat, but don’t dally too long (about a minute is all you have) – Canada has now released 1000 tonnes of CO2.

This is the sort of information, for countries across the globe, that is visually represented at Breathing Earth.net, a site I stumbled across yesterday.

In addition to world carbon emissions, the site gives “real time” population information through births and deaths in each country.

Clicking on the “About” gives the option of visiting EcoFoot.org, where, after answering 15 simple questions, you get an idea of your eco footprint, as compared to the average individual footprint for your country.

I like to consider myself as somewhat green, though there are always ways to improve. I took the quiz. While my lifestyle requires “only” 15 acres to maintain as compared to the average American’s 24 acres, there are only 4.5 acres of productive land available on the planet for each person now living. Therefore, my “green” lifestyle would take 3.5 Earth’s to maintain if everyone consumed the resources I do.

Maybe I’m not so green after all.

These two sites help bring these issues into personal focus. Check them out and prepare to be just a bit shocked. But don’t let the shock paralyze you. After the bad news, EcoFoot.org has ways to take action to mitigate your footprint.

Information combined with action is the key to making a difference.