Human Footprint

[Stymie]

Anyone watching or seen the Human Footprint?

On National Geographic Channel.

Showing how much stuff we use.

On a lifetime of about 77+ years.

If not.

I am sure Youtube.

Have some of the crazy shots.

Of the stuff we need and do not need.

That we use.

Or..

Go to National Geographic Channel's web page.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel Or http://wcs.org/humanfootprint/

They probably have clips and numbers.

But they mostly just show.

What we use.

Not the added waste.

From how everything else is made.

I read some where.

They say, if everyone on Earth.

Lived as most Americans do.

We would need 3 planets.

To supply what we need.

So when you think.

You do not matter.

In the big picture.

You do!

[Rev.Reverence]

For sure sir... for sure...

..we are disgustingly wasteful...

[Ice Queen (1)]

Agreed

I can't even watch shows like that anymore or the nature and wildlife shows that show the devastating effect we are having. It just gets me upset. My simple efforts of recycling seem so inadequate, but I guess every little bit helps.

[Msterbeau]

Agreed

I can't even watch shows like that anymore or the nature and wildlife shows that show the devastating effect we are having. It just gets me upset. My simple efforts of recycling seem so inadequate, but I guess every little bit helps.

Every little bit DOES help. And the more people that we can convince of this, the better things will get. Sadly, A lot of people think it's all bullshit and make no effort. I saw a woman one day on the highway... she had a bumper sticker that said something to the effect that people who recycle were worthless and stupid. WTF????? Course, she was driving a huge Caddy and was the scariest, most overly made-up women I'd ever seen....

[Ice Queen (1)]

Thankfully, it's become easier to recycle with these recycle bins we have now, which hopefully more people are doing it. It used to mean after I would get sick of the huge collections of recyclables I had, I would have to make trips to separate facilities to drop stuff off to recycle. In CA, they don't have can and bottle deposits, so you'd have to find a place taking that too. They need to expand the recycle bin thing though. When I lived in an apartment, there were none. Maybe a special dumpster for recyclables at these buildings. I know I would use it.

[Homicidalheathen]

I know, I try to recycle.....I dont bathe in streams anymore when camping.....try to use all natural products, but its costly...ineffective, or just plain bothersome.

What to do.......?

Go back to stinking and itching and all that crap....

The recycling has gotten better around here we take up to number 5 plastic now but it could be better, even though they used to only take up to number 3

[sass_in_the_pants]

*shrug*

I use cloth diapers.

And yes, every little bit DOES help.

I'm working on building a website (I don't know anything about building a website, so this may or may not ever get up on the web) detailing what to do with the stuff you don't want and how to get rid of it in the most effective manner. It's really going to be just a large searchable database.

Like, drop off places for your old eyeglasses.

Dates and locations of hazardous waste drop off.

Email addresses of metal scrappers.

That sort of thing.

Often, recycling is just as easy as throwing it in the garbage if only people knew what to do.

[SaGa]

to bad detroit dosint have the filter michines, accually im not sure about this. michines that filter recyclables from garbage.

im getting more tired of the packaging. do we need that big of a box for such a small item.. no but the picture on the front just HAS to be huge. psh

[sass_in_the_pants]

to bad detroit dosint have the filter michines, accually im not sure about this. michines that filter recyclables from garbage.

im getting more tired of the packaging. do we need that big of a box for such a small item.. no but the picture on the front just HAS to be huge. psh

Seriously! I think it's so stupid that things that come in bottles ALSO come in a box. Like, why does my toothpaste need a box? It's already got its own container. And kids toys! Like, a kids rattle will be strapped down to this huge piece of cardboard, with, like fourteen plastic strings sticking it to the cardboard. Is all of that REALLY necessary?!? Believe it or not, Wal-Mart is actually spearheading an effort to reduce packaging. I'm not thinking that they've suddenly grown a conscience, they are obviously doing it to reduce transportation and storage costs, but still, I'm glad SOMEONE somewhere is looking to change that.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Well packaged show from the looks of it. Took me a bit to find the specific show info. Thanks for the heads up Stymie.

Here is a link directly to to the Human Footprint's main page:

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/chan...uman-footprint/

Downloading it now. =)

Just to add more fuel to the fire... EVERY LITTLE BIT DOES help. Unfortunately with our instant-gratification culture we've learned to expect instant-feedback on everything we do, and when we don't get it we tend to assume we are having no impact. Even being aware of this phenomenon many of us still feel the pang of hopelessness. Screw that. We can make a difference we just need to keep at it. =)

[Fierce Critter]

Watched it last night.

The narrator irritated the fuck out of me. I felt like I was being read a children's story.

But I tried to watch through that to the idea being offered. It was really interesting overall.

[Kit Kat P]

If you want to measure yours go here

Your TOTAL FOOTPRINT 15 Acres

IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON.

WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.

IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 3.4 PLANETS.