There are simple actions I believe each of us can take to reduce the gap between Ecological Footprint and biocapacity. The following are the things our family is doing to help (and we are happy to do them, it is not a burden in our life-style):
- We recycle (magazines, junk mail, cardboard, milk containers, juice boxes, drawing papers, cereal boxes, etc.);
- We ONLY use rechargeable batteries
- Support our Green Party and Green politicians;
- We turn off our computers at night and when not on use;
- We don't smoke, and we don't like smoking;
- We donate old clothes and other items and never throw them away unnecessarily (unless broken or when a hazard);
- We read a lot about environmental issues and share the information with friends, family and others (like this blog!);
- We use mostly All-Natural, Plant-based, Biodegradable cleaning products;
- We are a ONE car family (actually ours is on the top 30 green cars), a small car, reducing air pollution and saving on fuel;
- I carry a mug for coffee/tea and drinks I buy to go;
- We turn off all the lights that are not necessary around the house (My son is big into that one too! Often reminding us to do so);
- I store most of our food in reusable containers instead of aluminum foil;
- We COMPOST and we use our compost in our vegetable garden;
- We turn off the water when brushing our teeth;
- We support local farmers and local business owners;
- We read news online rather then the newspaper;
- We only wash our laundry when we have a full load to do, and we own a Energy Saver frontloader;
- We only run our dishwasher when it is pretty full;
- We NEVER eat at MacDonalds;
- We are against hunting for sport;
- We don't litter;
- I let my hair dry naturally;
- Most of our fruits and vegetables are organically grown;
- We don't watch TV;
- We go to our local public library
Above all, we accept that small changes can make a BIG difference. And here we encourage others in their effort to make those changes. I have my son as my biggest reason to do whatever is possible to create a clean and prosperous World for him and all the next generation...
Sadly, reading the report's results the impact of environmental degradation seems to be greater in the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. Reduce access to clean water, proper food, fuel and goods, these people cannot break out the poverty trap they find themselves in and cannot prosper.
People need to be aware that right now, it is a reality that renewable resources are being harvested faster than they can be generated, more wood is being taken from forests each year than it can re-grow, and more fish are being harvest than are replenished every year depleting the resources faster than imagined.
The problem is being ignored because people are just ignoring the problem by moving to a new fishing area or another forest, clearing new land for farming, or targetting a different population.
What is the biggest effects? Easy answer: increase concentration of CO2 in the air, trap in the atmosphere, leading to increase global temperatures and affecting climate changes, and ocean acidification, etc.
