By Rabi Kieber, Sustainability Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2

Published on November 14, 2007
(Click here to download the entire newsletter as a full-color PDF file)

Each of us has an “ecological footprint” representing our impact on the Earth, and the bigger the footprint, the more land it takes to support our way of life.

The ecological footprint analysis measures human demand on nature by comparing our consumption of natural resources with the planet’s capacity to regenerate them. Governments and organizations use this tool to frame policies, set targets, and track progress toward sustainability. Likewise, individuals use it to translate their personal actions into environmental impacts on a global scale.

According to Redefining Progress, a leading public policy think tank concerned with smart economic growth, if the rest of the world lived like we do in the United States, five more planets would be needed to supply our consumer-driven lifestyle. Our nation’s current consumption patterns put us in the red because we consume more than the Earth can replenish. In other words, we are dipping into what many call our “resource savings account,” and if we fail to change our spending habits in relation to the Earth’s natural resources, we will eventually have nothing left in savings and no capacity to provide for our basic needs in the future.

The ecological footprint tool shows how making sustainable choices concerning what you eat, how you travel, and what you buy, for example, contributes to a beautiful and healthy planet and Delaware Estuary. To evaluate your current ecological footprint, log on to www.EarthDay.net to take the Earth Day Network’s Ecological Footprint Quiz. Once you know your baseline score, you can identify and take actions to improve it.

Did you know that h omeowners use 10 times more pesticides per acre than farmers; that 67 million pounds of pesticides are applied on lawns every year; and that two-thirds of users dispose of excess pesticides in the trash, and the remainder down drains? One way to reduce your ecological footprint is to try some of the EPA’s alternatives to traditional landscaping, like using native plants as described in the agency’s “Green Scaping” brochure available at www.epa.gov.

Natural landscaping brings a taste of wilderness to urban, suburban and corporate settings by attracting a variety of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Once established, native plants do not require fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, or watering, thus benefiting the environment and reducing maintenance costs (see article on page 9).

Next, think about the energy you use for lighting, appliances, and your heating and cooling needs. Make yourself and your home more environmentally and economically efficient by following the simple steps suggested by the EPA’s Energy Star program (see article on page 13).

And finally, no one wants a landfill in their backyard, particularly when it’s the Delaware Estuary that suffers, so avoid tossing food scraps and lawn waste into non-biodegradable plastic trash bags. Instead, get composting and turn that refuse into rich topsoil for your garden (see article on page 10). And refer to your local recycling program to safely and effectively recycle household hazardous waste, as well as electronic, plastic, metal, and paper products.

For more information on how you can reduce your ecological footprint, please visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency online at www.epa.gov/Region2/sustainability.