536 .2222
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
University of Phoenix *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
MISC
Subject
Geography
Date
Nov 24, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
10
Uploaded by MateWombatMaster968
My Household
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Date
My household
The Calculation of an ecological footprint shows the extent to which the way of life of a single
household impacts the environment, measured in global hectares. It includes many different
aspects of daily life, including food, housing, transportation, goods, services, and waste. Such a
household's carbon footprint, measured at 7.8 global hectares, well exceeds the global
sustainable average, thus requiring unsustainable consumption of resources.
In this footprint, food is the largest category, accounting for half of the total ecological
impact (
Daferera, et al., 2019
). The dominance of people is a result of big consumption of
cropland and fisheries, as Chinese eat a lot of meat and seafood, which are foods that cost high
prices ecologically (
Banerjee, et al., 2021
). This shows clearly not only direct consumption of
plant-based foods, but also the land required for growing feed for livestock, as well as the
consumption of marine resources. Fossil energy usage is also a large factor in the ecological
footprint of the housing sector. It reflects the energy mix used for housing (heating, cooling and
electricity). While the built-up land aspect is smaller, housing includes indirect commercial and
public expenses as well.
The transportation sector, in particular, becomes an ecological footprint heavyweight,
accounting for nearly a third of the total impact. This high percentage points to the widespread
use of vehicles fueled by fossil fuels, an issue of considerable concern to the environment
(
Banerjee, et al., 2021
). The potential for shrinking the footprint in this area is enormous, through
use of environment-friendly transportation. The ecological footprint even includes the production
and consumption of goods and services. Behind each physical product and service used lies an
environmental price, from extraction of raw materials to manufacture and to disposal. Waste,
which includes the end-of-life of products, is the smallest category, but is none the less crucial,
illustrating the need to reduce and reuse, recycle and compost.
Compared to this household, another member of the same class has an ecological
footprint of 5.1 global hectares, which is much lower. The difference between developed
countries and developing countries is reflected in differences in lifestyle choices, including
eating habits, energy use and methods of transportation. In fact, the data shows that one can
reduce the size of one's ecological footprint by changing one's consumption practice in certain
ways (
Matuštík, & Kočí, 2021
). Switching to a more vegetarian diet will ease dependence on
cropland and fisheries. Conserving energy at home and switching to natural energy sources could
reduce the reliance on the fossil fuels. In transportation, changing from private to public transit,
walking, or cycling itself can reduce the ecological footprint enormously. Also, using green
products and asking for green services can make goods and services less carbon-intensive,
too. By adopting effective waste management policies, the effects of waste on landfills can be
reduced, and recycling and composting activities promoted.
Comparison An analysis of the ecological footprint data for the two households (one being "my
household" and enjoying a footprint of 7.8 global hectares, while the second belongs to a
classmate and has a footprint of 5.1 global hectares) reveals the environmental consequences of
different lifestyles and consumption patterns. The footprint of 7.8 global hectares signifies a
lifestyle that consumes a great deal of resources. The high consumption figures in categories like
food, transportation and services testify to this. Given that food employs so much land and
energy, and that transport depends so heavily on fossil fuels, this footprint implies a heavy
reliance on non-renewable resources and probably a large intake of animal
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
products. Furthermore, the services category -- which can include activities ranging from
banking to entertainment -- itself adds to this ecological burden (
Zeqir &
Shahin,2022
). However, the footprint of my classmate's household is 5.1 global ha, which is two
thirds of the global average. Their thrift in using resources is reflected in this footprint. A smaller
ecological footprint can come from many things-reduction in consumption of meat, reductions in
reliance on fossil fuels, and more efficient usage of services and facilities and so on.
The gap between the two footprints is even larger when the global average available
ecological footprint, which is significantly less than either number, is taken into account. This
gap calls into question the future of current consumption standards, and reminds us that efforts
must be made to minimize environmental impact. Achieving a smaller footprint for "my
household" would mean revising current consumptive routines. This could mean moving to a
vegetarian diet, consuming less energy, switching to sustainable sources of energy, and
minimizing waste (
Biagetti, et al., 2023
). The classmate's household, which is closer to the
global average, would also like to make similar adjustments in order to reduce its own ecological
footprint. The ideal objective is to adjust closer to consumption levels that the Earth can
replenish. Achieving that means not just changes at an individual or household level, but
systemic changes that can encourage and permit sustainable living. In particular, this means
renewable energy, substitutes for motor vehicles and a movement toward a diet with more
plants. One must also see these changes in the larger systems of society and the economy which
can make sustainable practices possible or impossible. Consequently, efforts to lower the
ecological footprint must go in tandem with policies, incentives and education designed to
promote and facilitate such sustainable consumption patterns throughout society.
Part 3
Naturally, reducing an ecological footprint goes hand in hand with changes in lifestyle
and consumption patterns. Through various holistic strategies, a significant decrease in this
footprint--not limited by social or economic factors--can be approached. Most importantly is the
switch to a vegetarian diet. And because animal-based products consume so much land and
water, and produce so much greenhouse gas, this shift away from animal products is
important. Deforestation and habitat loss are major goals of the agricultural sector, especially
meat and dairy production (
Wang, et al., 2023
). Consequently, a diet rich in plant foods (the
greater part of which is derived from local, organic farms), would reduce the cropland and
pasture categories of the footprint by a large amount. In addition, through using fresh produce
grown close by, one would also be reducing the transportation footprint. Housing efficiency is
another major step. This means upgrading existing buildings with energy-saving technologies,
building solar panels or wind turbines and adopting water conservation methods. Such changes
would not only reduce the footprint associated with household energy, but would also help to
disseminate more widely green technologies, helping to break a trend toward sustainable living.
As for transportation and goods consumption, on the other hand, a major overhaul is also
necessary. Instead of relying on private, fossil fuel-driven vehicles, electric or alternative fuel
transport options would be used, along with increased stress on public transit, bicycles and
foot. Traditional carbon-intensive transport would be gradually phased out, while the
infrastructure to support the other modes would be upgraded. The emphasis for goods and
services will be on sustainability and longevity instead of short-term disposability (
Long,
2023
). The idea of a circular economy, in which products are planned to be highly durable,
reusable, and then recyclable, would become commonplace. An approach like this would make
for a smaller waste footprint. As products would be used for longer and be reused or recycled at
the end of their life, this would use less space in landfill and less of the earth's natural
resources. In terms of services, the trend would be one of increasing digitization and virtual
platforms, reducing the physical footprint of services.
Finally, waste management is at the very center in the attempt to reduce the ecological
footprint. The pursuit of a zero-waste goal would occur through carefully monitoring and
recycling, as well as through consciousness in minimizing waste at the source. Waste education
campaigns and community initiatives would be indispensable to developing a culture of
responsibility toward the waste. By treating waste as a resource (composting organic matter,
recycling materials), this would close the loop in the resource use cycle (
Amprazis, et al., 2023
).
The result would be a significantly more sustainable and regenerative model of
consumption. Backing up these practical steps, policies and incentives to promote sustainable
practice would help integrate these steps into the very fabric of society. For instance, such
measures might include preferential tax treatment for green choices, restrictions on excessive
waste, and subsidies for green technology. Such profound and enduring reductions in ecological
footprints require a synergy between individual actions and systemic support through policy and
infrastructure. Leading the way in this direction toward a healthier and balanced interaction with
our planet will take time, but eventually will become transparent to everyone.
Part four
The willingness of household members to accept changes, of course, depends upon
personal values, habits, and the inconvenience of the adjustments. changing to a vegetarian diet,
for instance, objections may arise simply due to individual eating tastes, resistance to change in
tradition and custom, or ignorance about the ecological effects of meat production (
Axon,
2023
). To help encourage the idea of eating plant-based dishes, homes can be gradually
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
introduced to the notion, not only pointing to the environmental benefits of not eating meat, but
also the health advantages, and the possibility of finding new, tasty dishes. Such supportive
methods for helping around the transition might include cooking workshops or challenges,
community potlucks, or shared resources for recipes. For improvements in housing energy
efficiency, initial installation costs or pain may act as deterrents. Yet focusing on the long-term
financial savings and the convenience of living in a more energy-efficient home can make for
persuasive arguments (
Abdelwahed, et al., 2023
). Publicizing the tangible benefits will
encourage households to make these changes, and also provide financial incentives such as
rebates, tax credits or subsidized loans for green renovations. Exhibiting local success stories and
giving the community members a place to share their stories too can lead to more momentum for
these initiatives.
In terms of transportation, the convenience and time efficiency of personal car use is one
of the biggest obstacles to using public transport or a kind of walking. For example, to encourage
a change of direction, improvements in public transport infrastructure, safety measures for
cyclists and pedestrians, incentives such as reduced or free public transport fares, subsidies for
the purchase of electric vehicles or establishment of a car-sharing system, can be
helpful. Furthermore, measures to discourage the use of fossil fuels, such as congestion charges
or higher parking fees, can discourage the use of private cars. Goods and services are concerned.
The consumerist temptation and habit of choosing disposable, short-lived goods have taken deep
root (Purwasih, et al., 2023). To change this requires an education campaign about the damage
caused by such consumption and the benefits of eco-friendly goods. Reward systems for buying
green products, combined with stricter regulation and higher taxes on single-use and non-
recyclable goods should create conditions for a circular economy.
As for waste management, the inconvenience of sorting and no early rewards are possible
obstacles. This road can be led by information sessions on waste minimisation methods,
composting workshops and jump up clear and understandable recycling rules. Financial
incentives can also be created by rewarding households for reducing paper waste and fining
transgressors, such as pay-as-you-throw programs and similar schemes. After all, every
household's road to sustainability is a blend of education, community activities, financial
incentives and regulations. This needs patience, persistence, and common sense that every small
step can help to environmental conservation and sustainability.
References
Abdelwahed, A., van den Berg, P. L., Brandt, T., & Ketter, W. (2023). Balancing convenience and sustainability in public transport through dynamic transit bus networks.
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
,
151
, 104100.
Amprazis, A., Galanis, N., Malandrakis, G., Panaras, G., Papadopoulou, P., & Galli, A. (2023). The Ecological Footprint of Greek Citizens: Main Drivers of Consumption and Influencing Factors.
Sustainability
,
15
(2), 1377.
Axon, S., Lent, T., & Njoku, A. (2023). Shifting sustainable lifestyle practices and behaviour during times of pandemic disruptive change: Implications for on-going socio-technical transitions.
Energy Research & Social Science
,
102
, 103188.
Banerjee, A., Jhariya, M. K., Meena, R. S., & Yadav, D. K. (2021). Ecological footprints in agroecosystem: an overview.
Agroecological footprints management for sustainable food
system
, 1-23.
Biagetti, E., Gislon, G., Martella, A., Zucali, M., Bava, L., Franco, S., & Sandrucci, A. (2023). Comparison of the use of life cycle assessment and ecological footprint methods for evaluating environmental performances in dairy production.
Science of The Total Environment
,
905
, 166845.
Daferera, M., Abaskharoun, M., & Theodoratou, E. (2019). The Ecological Footprint Nowadays.
Open Schools Journal for Open Science
,
2
(2), 60-69.
Long, Y., Chen, G., & Wang, Y. (2023). Carbon footprint of residents' online consumption in China.
Environmental Impact Assessment Review
,
103
, 107228.
Matuštík, J., & Kočí, V. (2021). What is a footprint? A conceptual analysis of environmental footprint indicators.
Journal of Cleaner Production
,
285
, 124833.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Purwasih, H. D., Sidabutar, Y. F., Suciati, H., & Fauzan, F. (2023). Modernization of “Transport” As Public Transportation to Reduce Personal Vehicle Ownership in the City of Tanjungpinang.
JMKSP (Jurnal Manajemen, Kepemimpinan, Dan Supervisi Pendidikan)
,
8
(1), 153-163.
Wang, K., Cui, Y., Zhang, H., Shi, X., Xue, J., & Yuan, Z. (2022). Household carbon footprints inequality in China: Drivers, components and dynamics.
Energy Economics
,
115
, 106334.
Zeqir, V., & Shahin, B. (2022). Ecological footprint as a tool for change of individual attitudes toward the environment and better education for sustainability.
Technium Soc. Sci. J.
,
30
, 727.