Think Greener
October 20, 2006
This Tuesday at 7:46 a.m. Eastern Time, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures, the population of the United States crossed 300 million. By the time you read this article, that number will be greater by tens of thousands: statisticians estimate that the growth rate is currently one birth every seven seconds and one immigrant every 31 seconds, counterbalanced by one death every 13 seconds, on average. This makes the United States one of only a handful of industrialized nations whose population has not begun to decline. As we cross this historic milestone, we should take the opportunity to stop and consider the impact that this country’s continued growth, and the lifestyle that accompanies it, has on the planet.
For the armchair activist, a good first step is the Ecological Footprint Quiz, available online at www.earthday.net/footprint/info.asp. The quiz asks 15 multiple-choice questions about your eating habits, living arrangements, and typical use of public transportation, cars, and air travel. When you’re done—the whole thing takes about ten minutes—you’re told the number of biologically productive acres that your lifestyle ties up, along with a striking extrapolation: “If everyone lived like you, how many planets would we need?”
The results of the quiz, both individually and by country, are striking. 5.3 planets, or 24 biologically productive hectares per person, would be needed if everyone on earth lived the lifestyle of the average American; in comparison, only 1.5 hectares would be needed if the average Chinese lifestyle were globally enjoyed. The acreage data comes from United Nations agencies and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the quiz algorithm was developed by Redefining Progress, a non-profit operating out of Oakland, CA.
If the sobering quiz moves you to action, many opportunities for activism exist close to home. The Tufts Climate Initiative, following a successful student body vote last year, recently launched its “Get Clean” program, allowing students living on campus to buy wind power for their dorm rooms. For $10 per semester—payable in points—it should be a no-brainer. The service is provided by 3Phases Energy Services (3phases.com), and helps to support clean energy development as well as easing your conscience. Visit www.tufts.edu/tie/tci/getclean/ for more information.
Of course, a $10 contribution to clean energy development isn’t going to amount to much against the global onslaught of greenhouse gases and other environmental damage. The Ecological Footprint site offers other day-to-day changes you can make to reduce your impact, but these, too, can seem inconsequential. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed; what can you do, when the 300 million people around you are so out of control? There’s no easy answer to that question, and it’s something that can’t be dismissed; but neither should it discourage you from taking any action at all. In other words, don’t feel that the issue is too big for you to address, but don’t just make your $10 per semester donation and forget about it, either. On the occasion of this milestone in America’s population and ecological recklessness, take a few small steps toward making things better—and make sure that those steps are only the first in a long trek.