How to calculate your ecological footprint?

When it comes to environmental protection, everyone generally says they are ready to act. The idea of starting by calculating your personal impact on the environment, the planet, can be an excellent starting point for deciding on future initiatives and determining where you can do better.

What is the ecological footprint?

First of all, we can start by defining exactly what the ecological footprint of each individual living on the planet is. The ecological footprint makes it possible to know the pressure generated by each human being on his environment by taking into account his consumption of energy, natural resources and his ability to absorb the waste he has generated. By calculating its ecological footprint, it is therefore possible to know whether we are behaving ecologically or whether we are harming our environment. Even if it is possible to find many tips on ecology and sustainable development, many individuals, companies or polluting states ignore them and continue to spoil the planet.

Environmental footprint calculators

On the Internet, several sites offer Internet users the opportunity to calculate the individual ecological footprint by answering a series of questions. Indeed, some organizations that work to protect the planet and promote sustainable development have developed online tools. They take the form of a questionnaire that makes it possible to assess the benefits or harms of Internet users' consumption and lifestyle habits in order to calculate their environmental footprint. For some nations, including Canada, it appears that the equivalent of three planets like the earth would be needed to maintain their way of life and consumption if they do not quickly make the effort to reduce their consumption of natural resources and reduce waste.

A valuable indicator for defining environmental policies

Two American scientists developed the indicator to assess the ecological footprint of individuals. To define an environmental policy, some use the ecological footprint indicator. Indeed, it makes it possible to highlight sensitive points and define sustainable development objectives. It also makes it possible to set educational choices for citizens and companies to become eco-responsible and reduce the impact of the harmful effects of their activities on their natural environment. The ecological footprint indicator shows great disparities because not all humans consume in the same way and are more or less polluting.