Ecological Footprint Calculator

How many planets does it take to support your lifestyle? Take the Ecological Footprint quiz to measure your impact, and explore solutions to leave a kinder, gentler impression on Mother Earth.

Did you know that if everyone lived the lifestyle of the average American we would need five planets?

Simply put, we are using more than the Earth can provide. Today, it takes the Earth one year and six months to regenerate what we use in a year.

The Global Footprint Network has created a topflight instrument that measures the amount of environment (in terms of planets) needed to support a particular lifestyle. Its Ecological Footprint Calculator looks at the balance between biocapacity, which represents Earth’s biologically productive land areas, such as forests, cropland, and pastures, and our ecological footprint, or the demand that humans put on nature.  

 

 

 

Take the Ecological Footprint quiz to see how many planets it takes to keep up with your lifestyle. At the end, you’ll find suggestions for simple actions you can take to ease up your impact. 

 


 Want to learn more? Global Footprint Network offers an abundance of thought-provoking information and teaching tools (charts, data, glossary, etc.) on footprint basics and science.

 

The Ecological Footprint measures how fast we consume resources and generate waste compared to how fast nature can absorb our waste and generate new resources. Photo by the Global Footprint Network.

 

EXPLORE Global Footprint Network

 


 

Not only is it Earth Day on April 22. It’s Climate 

Change Week from April 18-25!

Check out this free, ready-to-use K-12 Climate Change Education Toolkit. You’ll find a week’s worth of lessons and activities—plus a reading list—with a different theme each day.

EXPLORE Climate Change Education Toolkit

 


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