Assignment Instructions: There are several different “calculators” available to help citizens understand their impact on natural resources. For this exercise, you will compare, contrast and analyze your results from two of them. A 2–4-page paper (any type of formatting is fine, although you must clearly delineate each question) will be submitted to Canvas addressing the following questions:
Question #1. Input your data into the footprints listed below and answer the two questions for each footprint.
Inquiry to Student Environmental Action: International Student Carbon Footprint, https://depts.washington.edu/i2sea/iscfc/fpcalc.php (Links to an external site.)
Click Explore and enter your information
TAKE The ADVANCED Version
You will need to convert to metric units to better understand your results. Use the website’s calculator.
a. Overall, what is your footprint result? How many Earths are needed to sustain your ecological footprint?
b. How does your overall footprint compare to the country’s average, according to this source’s data?
Global Footprint Network Ecological Footprint, http://www.footprintcalculator.org/ (Links to an external site.)
a. Overall, what is your footprint result? How many Earths are needed to sustain your ecological footprint?
b. How does your overall footprint compare to the country’s average, according to this source’s data?
Question #2. Thoroughly compare and contrast your two results.
Question #3. Answer the questions below about your results in general:
What is most surprising about your results? Did you think your footprint would be this high? Low?
Expand on how you could lower your footprint based on the carbon, food, housing, and goods and services categories.
Is your lifestyle sustainable? Is your family’s? In your opinion, is the average American’s lifestyle sustainable? Add examples and reasons to your answers.
Question #4. You almost certainly received very different results from each calculator, why do you believe that is?
Question #5. If your boss asked you for a report about which of the two calculators is more reliable and why, what information would you need to answer that question? See if you can find that information for both calculators, report on what you found. (For example, what are the results based on? What data is used? What are the sources for information in each?) Which calculator would you suggest to your boss as more reliable, and what reasoning would you give?
