tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6276531209730408101.post7596985167452971349..comments2024-03-18T21:13:23.616-04:00Comments on Ecofrugal Living: A traditionally built footprintAmy Livingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16362533758291353748noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6276531209730408101.post-6294882568919176072011-06-13T16:15:23.323-04:002011-06-13T16:15:23.323-04:00Thomas Friedman's June 7 column in the NYTimes...Thomas Friedman's June 7 column in the NYTimes http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/opinion/08friedman.html?_r=1&sq=THE%20EARTH%20IS%20FULL&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1307995221-sQeNpL/tNHkUFCgKcIfCvw is about this. We're living beyond the earth's capacity now--i.e. using resources faster than we can replace them--and the change has to come on the societal level or it won't be enough.Judynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6276531209730408101.post-20614602344146077782011-05-31T12:49:21.980-04:002011-05-31T12:49:21.980-04:00The FAQ on the Global Footprint Network site says...The FAQ on the Global Footprint Network site says, "A person’s Ecological Footprint includes both personal and societal impacts. The Footprint associated with food, mobility, and goods is easier for you to directly influence through lifestyle choices (eating less meat, driving less, etc). However a person’s Footprint also includes societal impacts or “services”, such as government assistance, roads and infrastructure, public services, and the military of the country that they live in...<br />therefore in some nations it is not possible to reduce your Footprint to below one planet.... In order to allow their citizens to achieve a lifestyle that fits within one planet, governments need to dramatically improve the efficiency of the built environment and invest in renewable energy and smart land-use planning."<br /><br />So, when I talk about advocating for change on a societal level, I'm talking less about encouraging *individuals* to make changes, and more about encouraging governments, businesses, etc. I think that "smart land-use" phrase is an important one; each household's impact will be reduced if the whole society is structured in a way that requires less fuel, less water, etc., per household.Amy Livingstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16362533758291353748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6276531209730408101.post-33558275273289219702011-05-29T06:51:59.356-04:002011-05-29T06:51:59.356-04:00You said yourself that it can't just be encour...You said yourself that it can't just be encouraging others to do individual steps. That just gets to the three planet level. <br /><br />I'm just guessing -- though looking up some of the differences shouldn't be too hard -- but fewer people owning TV's or computers, More people working as manual laborers. Less variety of clothes or food or semi-disposables (games, books, etc.) <br /><br />-- Not that I have an answer.Doug Bonarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04833700146695394598noreply@blogger.com