Students from around the world calculated their class mean and standard deviations for their footprints and posted them on our world map.
Do you see differences across the globe? If so, why do you think those differences exist?
Did you use the calculator to try to reduce your footprint down to the average from a citizen of another country? What changes would you have to make to lower your footprint in this way? Are you going to try and take some of these actions in your daily life?
Student Footprints >
Organic Food 2
In this day and age many food companies have started to adopt the practice of using chemicals on their crops to keep them free of bugs and parasites, they have altered the genetic structure of their crops making them better for the companies, but worse for the environment. Going organic have many advantages and positive results for the environment, and they are not impossible to accomplish. According to Eostreorganics, organic food would lower the amount of water contamination due to the lack of harmful chemicals that could leak into the soil and water. Because no chemicals are being used, the wildlife would continue to prosper, this helps to aid in keeping the natural balance of an ecosystem and prevents certain species dominating the other. Organic food is also usually distributed locally, which means that the emissions of CO2 goes down due to the smaller distance the food must travel to reach someones fridge.
Working to live a more organic lifestyle and support local farming does have a great advantage!
Also, organic food doesn't use chemical fertilizer. Fertilizer production has a high carbon footprint!