Personal Footprint, Product, and Organizational Sustainability Analysis (Essay Sample)

Personal Footprint, Product, and Organizational Sustainability Analysis
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Personal Footprint, Product, and Organizational Sustainability Analysis
Personal Ecological Footprint
Meaning Of My Ecological Footprint
Ecological footprint in hectares entails the impact an individual has on the environment in terms of hectares. It encompasses the biologically productive land and sea which is available, which an individual uses to produce what one consumes and the wastes produced (Wackernagel, 2016). My ecological footprint is 7.4 gha which means that I have a global available productive land and sea area of 7.4 hectares. According to recent statistics, the average global availability of productive land per capita is 1.6 gha (Global Footprint Network, 2021). This is based on the 2019 global statistics of 12.2 billion hectares for over 7.7 billion global populations.
Similarly, my ecological footprint ranks high based on the average national footprint per capita. Statistics show that Luxembourg, Qatar, Australia, and the United States are among the countries with a higher ecological footprint. In 2016, the US had an 8.22 gha ecological footprint per person. My 7.4 gha ecological footprint means that I am significantly contributing to the exhaustion of the earth’s resources which include the destruction of forests, land, and water resources. With the limited global productive land and ever-increasing population, I must make efforts to minimize my ecological footprint in hectares to approximately 2.75 gha, which is the world-average ecological footprint.
Causes of Unsustainable Lifestyle
The unsustainable aspects of my personal lifestyle are associated with the four significant aspects.
Limited Knowledge
I have poor access and knowledge on the use of renewable energy sources. In the home, I have not effectively embraced the use of wind energy, solar energy, or hydroelectric to ensure I reduce my ecological carbon print. Owusu & Asumadu-Sarkodie (2016) indicated that the current generation lacks knowledge on the sustainable use of renewable energy.
Misuse Of Non-Renewable Resources
I tend to overuse non-renewable resources such as oil and fossil fuels, which results in the destruction of the environment. According to Perera (2018), frequent use of fossil fuels causes the emission of toxic substances which affect the environment. My regular use of public transport increases the usage of crude oil that has severe impacts on the ecosystem.
Poor Waste Management
Poor waste management is another significant cause of my unsustainable lifestyle. Compared to my neighbours, I tend to dispose of wastes in dangerous zones, which may adversely affect the environment. Lack of proper waste disposal mechanisms enhances air and water pollution, which minimizes biologically productive resources (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019).
Overconsumption Of Processed Foods
I overconsume processed and packaged food over fresh or whole foods. I often consume breakfast cereals, cakes, and processed meat products at home instead of cooking fresh products such as vegetables and grains. This contributes to increased ecological footprint and exhaustion of the global natural resources.
Changes To Lifestyle to Reduce Footprint
Lifestyle changes play a crucial role in reducing the individual ecological footprint. Based on my higher ecological footprint, I must shift to the use of renewable sources of energy to minimize its depletion across the globe. According to Gielen et al. (2019), the world is currently shifting to the use of geothermal power, solar, and wind energy to generate electricity. Therefore, I will make efforts to install solar panels in my home and ensuring I regulate the amount of energy I consume on a daily basis. This is coupled with eliminating the use of fossil fuels such as coal and oil in cooking or other household activities.
Conversely, I will ensure I adopt new waste management practices such as minimizing the use of single-use plastic and going digital. Going digital significantly minimizes the use of papers and contributes to afforestation and environmental protection. I will also embrace recycling and re-use various resources used within my environment. Besides, I will start the consumption of fresh farm products, which include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This will mean cutting back purchasing of processed products such as bacon, French fries, biscuits, and drinks, which use a huge amount of energy. This will significantly reduce my footprint and improve my consumption of health products.
Causes

Lifestyle Change

Limited Knowledge of energy

Attend training and seminars on energy use

Misuse Of Non-Renewable Resources

Use renewable sources of energy such as solar

Poor Waste Management

Adopt new waste management practices

Overconsumption Of Processed Foods

Consuming fresh farm products