Applied Ethics and Sustainability

Applied Ethics and Sustainability 1
APPLIED ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
by [Student’s Name ]
Professor’s Name
Course Title
State/City
Date

Applied Ethics and Sustainability 2
1. Go to http://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/change-the-way-you-live/ecological-
footprint-calculator and calculate your personal ecological footprint. Copy your
footprint results (i.e. ‘Results By Land Type and By Consumption Category’) into your
assignment document.
2. With reference to your results perform the following tasks
a. Explain the meaning of your ecological footprint measured in
global hectares with reference to relevant benchmarks.
My ecological footprint measured in global hectares is 5.8, which means that I
consumed approximately 52% more than I produced. As far as the global average
is concerned, the ecological footprint was 2.84 global hectares person in the year
2012 thereby implying the total global footprint of 22.1 billion global hectares. As
a result, it is imperative that the ecological footprint of mine is much higher than
the global average.

Applied Ethics and Sustainability 3
b. Explain the meaning of your carbon footprint (tonnes per year) with
reference to a relevant forestry carbon sequestration (offset) rate.
My carbon footprint in tonnes is 8.8 per year, which means that in one year I
can directly and indirectly produce 8.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide to support human
activities. As a far as the aspect of sequestration rate is concerned, the number of
trees that are needed for the purpose of supporting of the carbon emissions would
be around hundred as far as estimation is concerned. In this aspect, the size and
spacing of the trees are also to be taken into consideration.
c. Interpret your key results by Land Type and Consumption Category.
The land type results indicate that my carbon footprint is the biggest partition,
followed by cropland, and then forest products, and the least is grazing land. It is implied
from the calculations that that more than half of the aspect is of carbon foot print due to the
amount of 8.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide produced in a year. As a result, the outcomes related
to land type results are justified taking account of the calculations accordingly.
The consumption category results shows that food is the leading consumption
category followed by goods, mobility, services and lastly shelter. The results of the
calculations imply such aspect based on my personal tastes and preference as far as my
lifestyle is concerned. It further states that as far as the basic necessities are concerned, food
for me holds much more importance in comparison to shelter.
3. By utilising your footprint analysis (results and questions), identify four major causes
of the unsustainable aspects of your personal lifestyle.
The major causes of the unstable aspect of my personal lifestyle include location of my home,
travelling pattern, diet and the number of people living in the house. Carbon footprints is the
total amount of greenhouse gases generated, which directly and indirectly support human

Applied Ethics and Sustainability 4
activities. The location of one home is likely to increase or decrease one’s footprint.
Travelling also contributes to an individual’s carbon footprint since one could be driving or
using public means of transport to travel (Hamed, Tariah, and Hawamdeh, 2012). This
depends on the transport means being used if it is fuel-efficient or not. Also, air transport also
contributes to one’s carbon footprints and research has found that flying in air for more than
two hours contribute to approximately 2.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the environment. On
the same note, an individual’s diet also affects the environment. For example, statistics have
shown that eating a four-ounce steak is the same as driving for approximately seven miles. In
this sense, the most eco-friendly source of food is locally sourced as well as organic foods
because they significantly decline the increase in an individual’s carbon footprint.
Additionally, the increase in the number of people at home also results in the rise in the
carbon footprint to a certain extent thereby implying that steps and measures are to be
undertaken for the control of population at the global level. Such is the case because more
habitation of people lead to the rise in the contribution related to the emissions of carbon
dioxide. Furthermore, it is also imperative that the aspect of eco-friendliness is to be taken
into consideration as far as the management and control of carbon footprint is concerned. It
further implies that eco-friendly fuels are to be utilized as far as the lowering of the emission
of carbon dioxide is concerned. In this regard, the aspect related to the control of
deforestation may also be taken into consideration. As a result, it is observed that the
concepts related to sustainability are of utmost importance as far as the fostering of salubrious
surroundings is concerned.
4. Identify one potential solution to your unsustainable lifestyle in each of the categories
of ‘City’, ‘Energy’, ‘Food’ and ‘Population’. (Note: your Ecological Footprint results
provide some ideas in each of these categories).