What you don’t know can’t hurt you — An old American proverb that gives rhyme and reason to blissful unawareness. But looking closely at those six words, does anyone really feel a sense of security? Do you take comfort in non-knowledge? Or do you wonder what it is that you don’t know, and if, perhaps, what you don’t know could hurt you?
It’s in my nature to wonder. So, naturally, I wonder about both what I do and don’t know. Especially when it comes to the impact that I have on Mother Earth. I wonder if I’m really as eco-friendly in my daily practices as I’d like to think I am. I wonder if I’m using a chemical that I’m blissfully unaware of, somewhere in my kitchen or bedroom or bathroom. And, most of all, I wonder about the things that I do most, and their impact on Earth. Are my showers longer than they should (or need) to be? Does my laptop use more electricity than I even realize? Does my obsessive coffee-drinking habit add negatively my “water footprint?”
In light of these questions, and thanks to a suggestion from a friend, it’s time to do some calculating, to see where we’re all at on the scale of environmental friendliness. Below, you’ll find three personal impact calculators to measure the most basic of modern human environmental effects — a carbon footprint calculator, a water use calculator and an electric power pollution calculator. When you’re done, you’ll be blissfully aware of your impact on Earth in these three significant ways. After all, the attitude that corresponds with the “what you don’t know can’t hurt you” idiom is, unfortunately, exactly what the planet does not need. What we don’t know about our behaviors is exactly what got the ball of global warming rolling… So, after you’ve calculated, use your newfound awareness to say, “What you know can help you,” and consider changing your habits if they’re below the line of what you consider eco-acceptable.
The Carbon Footprint Calculator and if you’re interested, my results — the above image shows where I’m at on the “average” green scale.
The Water Use Calculator – Proof that what you eat affects everything.
The Electric Power Pollution Calculator — All you need is a current electricity bill to fill this out.
Follow me on Twitter @SustainablYours
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