The case for more Earths…

So I found this Ecological Footprint survey which (kind of) lets you figure out how much of the Earth’s resources you consume (waste). Actually what it lets you calculate is if everyone on Earth was like you, how many Earths would be need to supply them all. Not knowing enough, I left 0% room for other species and if everyone were like me it would take somewhere around six Earths to support everyone. Actually I did it a few times and got answers between 5.3 and 7 depending on how I answered some of the borderline questions. Either way, I’m a pig in the world ecology (my low score is just that above the average american). If I gave other species 1/3 of the planet my number jumps up to somewhere between 7 and 10.

Now some of this would change if we had good public transportation in Detroit (the motor city) and if I knew how “local” my food was produced. I.E. If I lived in Battle Creek I’m thinking my eggs, bacon, beef(?) and cereal would all be considered more local. I got nailed for air travel (10 hours a year), living alone and home square footage (but I live in a condo, not taking up any more space than the person below me, no yard and I walk a lot of stairs to get up to the third floor).

The funny thing is that it appears that I scored (lost) lots of points for living alone which (likely) means I’m not increasing the world’s population. And I’d gladly give it all up to increase that number by one or three…

(The survey was originally linked to www.lead.org/leadnet/footprint/default.htm but doesn’t appear to be there any more so I’ve updated the link).