carbon footprint

750 Words2 Pages

My Carbon Footprint:
Reflections and Solutions
During the course of the semester we have examined a myriad of environmental issues, specifically our impact on the world both globally, and locally. We have considered the implications of not changing our cultural behaviors and some of the consequences that are coming to bear now and forecasted for the future. The significance of the discussion has come to bear on my personal experience, the lenses from which I make decisions that either continue the march towards continued environmental degradation or the hard right hand turn I must make towards sustainability on a global level starting here and now.
2.89 Earths
In assessing my carbon footprint using the website myfootprint.org I answered a quiz which asked me about my daily living habits, what I purchase, what I eat, how I get myself from place to place, my source and quantity of energy used at home, and how much water I use. I have been actively working to make changes in my life over the last ten years to be more contentious about my lifestyle choices, so I figured my score would not be terrible. Once the results were revealed I was sickened by how much I am contributing directly to the problem of global warming. If my score could be so appalling I can just imagine how others might be, and how collectively we are really impacting the environment. In class we learned that Americans are responsible for the majority of the environmental problems we face. Our culture in beyond consumptive and we are utilizing resources across the globe without giving consideration to the implications. The future generations will be appalled at the mindless destruction we have participated in and hopefully, if we all work together we can actual...

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...d deliberate effort to consume less on every level I believe we could turn this problem around. The idea of reducing, reusing and recycling is the mantra, followed by the notion of living modestly and conservatively. I continue to refine and challenge myself to raise the bar, in addition to pestering those around me to do the same.
The Take Away Message
It’s my wish that a public awareness campaign takes places, were each person regardless of their circumstances will have the opportunity to participate in a fact sharing, solution finding dialog in which the themes of this class could be brought to light, because only with awareness based on fact and personal relevance will we be able to make the changes that need to happen. These themes should be part of our cultural dialog because we are all in the same boat, and only when we act collectively will change happen.

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