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comment Redefining Progress Launches New Footprint Quiz
Redefining Progress, a nonprofit organization with offices in Washington, D.C., and Oakland, California, has launched a new version of its online Ecological Footprint Quiz, famous for telling those who take the Quiz how many Earths would be needed if everyone on the planet lived like they do. Redefining Progress launched the Quiz in 2002 to educate people about the environmental effects of their consumption patterns, says John Talberth, Ph.D., director of the organization’s Sustainability Indicators Program. It remains one of the only calculators that looks beyond greenhouse gas emissions to consider the use of water, marine resources, cropland, forest products, and other resources.
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The new version of the Quiz incorporates “the latest advancements in footprint science,” says Talberth, “such as more accurate figures for how terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems absorb carbon emissions, new methods for calculating an individual’s water footprint, and ways to account for the habitat needs of other species.” The new version also places a greater focus on positive lifestyle choices, such as gardening at home, purchasing renewable energy, and building green.
In addition to questions about appliance efficiency and occupant habits, the Quiz includes questions about housing type, location, and size. “Housing choice is very important,” says Talberth. The size question offers five categories, starting at 500 to 1,000 square feet and increasing to 2,500 square feet or lager. The average new home in the U.S., however, is more than 2,400 square feet, according to the National Association of Home Builders, and some homes are several times this size. “The home size range was selected based on global averages,” says Talberth. “Our 5,000-square-foot, single-family McMansions are unheard of in countries with more responsible and tasteful building practices and an embarrassing testament to American’s penchant for excessive consumption.”
Talberth says members of the design and construction community have the ability to help the U.S. reduce its ecological footprint, and he has some advice for them: “Refuse to participate in building more sprawl and, instead, join the growing movement to restore the vitality of city centers and older suburbs. Look for high-quality salvaged materials before buying new. If buying new, insist on green-certified products. Make water- and energy-saving features standard. Go solar.” While the Quiz addresses green building in a fairly cursory way, Talberth says Redefining Progress is working on a “green design calculator” to teach people about the value of green buildings and to encourage such practices around the country.
Other enhancements to the Quiz include drop-down boxes providing more information on topics like community gardens, sprawl, and green cleaning products. The Quiz is available in five languages, and can compare the entrant’s footprint to averages in 147 countries. Nearly 5,000 people visit the Quiz website each day, says Talberth.
To learn more, or to take the Quiz, visit www.myfootprint.org.
This article was produced by BuildingGreen, LLC.- www.buildinggreen.com
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