So, right off the bat I was very pleased that my carbon footprint was below the national average by 0.6 Earths. I’m not the largest environmentalist, so I was happily surprised by this. 

Next I maximized consumerism- buying new clothes and furniture. The number of earths increased to 6.

Next I increased all the food intake, making me eat much more eat and dairy products. That increased the number of earths to 7.

Finally, I increased the amount of public transportation I take. This increased the number of earths to 4.8 which is a 0.4 Earth addition.

Thinking about how I could bring my own footprint down further than it already is, I could probably become a vegetarian or a vegan. I could also seek out local food. I can decrease the amount of energy I use, especially because in my apartment we don’t always turn the lights off. I don’t know what degree these changes would help the environment, but every little bit counts.

In terms of what our society need to do to be more sustainable, I think our chief concern should be to find another hospitable planet because I lack the confidence that our major governments can enact change fast enough. Otherwise, I’m reminded of wartime rationing programs that were accompanied by propaganda. If those programs worked to get the American citizen to do their part with victory gardens and a “make-do” attitude, I wonder if they could work again in the face of a failing environment policy.