1.964 | Fall 2006 | Graduate

Design for Sustainability

Related Resources

My Footprint is a Web page that calculates the amount of land and water resources that an individual uses. Use the “Ecological Footprint Quiz” to calculate the effects of your daily lifestyle.

Intent of the Footprint Quiz

The quiz is based on national consumption averages and is meant to give you an idea of your Ecological Footprint relative to other people in the country you live in. It is not highly detailed, but should give most people an idea of where they stand. If you already live a sustainable lifestyle, do not be discouraged by your results. There are some portions of your Footprint that are not the direct result of your consumption habits. For example, each resident of a city is ‘responsible’ for a portion of the city’s infrastructure, such as roads, schools, and government offices, regardless of whether the resident uses those services. In addition, some options that could make your Footprint smaller are not available to you as a result of choices on the part of local decision makers, such as reliable and efficient public transportation as an alternative to driving. Therefore, an important path to reducing your Footprint is to advocate for more sustainable decisions at all levels of government. This will make it easier for you and many others to reduce Ecological Footprints.

Learning Resource Types
Lecture Notes
Projects with Examples
Written Assignments