Journal 4: Your Carbon Footprint

While playing, “Ecological Footprint”, I was able to learn a lot about how I impact the environment just by every day life. At the end of the game, the game uses a calculation to put together a number that represents how bad, I alone, am ruining the environment. My total score was calculated at 8.2. My score was so high due to two sections of my lifestyle that were through the roof on this rating scale. The first section was my transportation. Due to the fact that I drive a truck, and it burns gas at 12 mile per gallon. The carbon footprint took into account how non-environmentally friendly my truck is, and added a huge number of 21 to my score. This raised my carbon footprint from initially being, “1.6”, to the score of, “6.2”. This was a major jump in score and it was due to my transportation, which is a huge part of my every day life. The next score in which bumped my score from a “6.2” to an “8.2” was the section of foods, and what I eat. The reason this bumped up two whole points was because of all the meat, poultry, dairy, and fruits and vegetables that I consume on a weekly basis. Due to my healthier eating habits, I consume a lot of these foods in which may be more beneficial to the planet. Also, it may be from all the processing plants that the food may go through that can damage the earth’s environment. Therefore, I need to be more conscious on my eating habits and step back and look at the bigger picture before just grabbing food at my local supermarket.
All in all, I am glad I was able to play the carbon footprint game. It allowed myself to realize how much I actually am damaging this earth alone. Due to the game, I am going to be more conscious on almost everything I may do or did in the past. I alone can make an effort the change this environment, and I will do so at any cost.

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