Evaluating My Footprint One Last Time - Sustainability
Thomas Lane
Solving Problems With Data-Driven Solutions | Digital Marketing Optimizer | Business Development | Event Manager | Training Events Specialist at PACCAR Parts |
My final undergraduate quarter at WWU has been a crazy time, and if you have been following my many blogs over the quarter, you know that I tracked my footprint at the start of the quarter, towards the middle, and now we are finally here at the tail end.
With weeks of progress on the books, let's see how far I have come.
Comparing my original footprint (left) with my current footprint (right) I am pleased to say I've been able to remove 8 tons of carbon from my life. Much of this came down to managing my diet and driving even less than I used to.
Once again comparing my original footprint (left) with my current footprint (right) I am pleased to have reduced my impact down by almost two earths! This seemed to be a challenging feat for me, as even my previous results indicated I had changed a lot of the things I do to adapt.
Unsurprisingly, while I still haven't purchased any new clothing or materials since my last footprint, I'm still sitting around 40 slaves, which isn't great. However, I still find this to be a misleading figure as I own a lot of thrifted items that I've kept for a long time.
Here is another area where I've made a lot of progress. Comparing my original footprint (left) with my current footprint (right), I have managed to remove almost 700 gallons of water from my daily routine! Much of this resulted from making efforts to waste less water, and use what I had more efficiently.
Was I Successful In My Efforts?
Shorter Showers
This one proved to be an easy choice for me, as reducing my shower time to 3 minutes wasn't to challenging, it merely changed how I go about my morning routine.
Going Meatless 2 Days A Week
While it was a big change for me, not eating meat two days a week was an interesting experience, and one I hope to continue for the future.
Reducing My Electricity Usage
While this one took more planning, I was able to reduce my power bill and save energy by turning off devices and reducing my security runs for my electronics.
Will I Be Able To Continue These Practices?
Since they are baked into my morning routine now, I don't see much of a reason to change them. I found each of them to be very achievable, and I'm also feeling better at the same time.
Reflecting Upon The Experience
This quarter has been a hectic nightmare at times, and initially some of these were challenging and I didn't think I'd be able to work them in. However, with some determination and willpower I was able to succeed.
Overall, doing this as a part of the WWU course on Marketing & Sustainability has been a positive experience, and I hope to continue my efforts in the future, and reduce my footprint even further.
As always, I'll include the sustainability calculators so you can find your impact.
What are you doing to make a difference about your carbon footprint?