Name: __________________________ Period: _____ Date: ____________
Your Ecological Footprint
In this activity, you will estimate your personal impact on the environment using an ecological footprint
calculator.
The First Calculator:
1. Go to https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en (Use http://carbotax.org/ for a comparison)
2. You do NOT have to enter your personal email for results.
3. Follow the instructions and choose the options that are the closest match to your lifestyle. On any
page that allows you to “Add more detail” please click and answer the additional questions. This
is especially important on the first slide, “How often do you consume animal products?”
4. After you have finished using the calculator, record your results:
Total number of earths needed to sustain your lifestyle_______________
List the top two land types that contribute to your footprint:
_____________________
_____________________
Global hectares required for your lifestyle________________________
Your carbon footprint in tons per year: ________________________
Top two highest consumption categories: _______________ _________________
4. Then answer the following questions:
●How does your carbon footprint compare with the U.S. average of 16.4 tons per year?
Explain why you think this is…In other words, what about your lifestyle increases or
decreases your consumption when compared with other Americans?
●How does your carbon footprint compare with the global average of 4 tons per year? Explain
why you think this is…
Reducing your Footprint:
5. How would your footprint be affected if you were vegetarian? What about vegan?
To determine these values, press the back button on the calculator until you return to the first page. Move
the scale until it shows the vegetarian diet. Return to the last page and record the difference. Repeat for
the vegan diet.
**USE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT value
My current
footprint
My vegetarian
footprint
My vegan
footprint
