The other day I was in a conversation with a family when Amy, one of the young- adult daughters, asked her parents about the size of their footprint.
Judging by the look on her parents face, you could tell they were confused. “What are you talking about,” asked Amy’s father. “I’m talking about the ecological impact that you and Mom have on the environment. It’s what they call your ecological footprint,” said Amy.
Welcome to the world of millions of young adults in America. They are on a mission to educate their parents, friends, and anyone else who will listen about how our daily habits impact the environment.
A recent poll by the Gallup organization details the fervor that today’s young adults have embraced this issue. 44 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 34 believe we need to take "immediate, drastic" action on the environment, compared with 38 percent of those between the ages of 35 and 54, and 33 percent of those 55 and older.
When I asked Amy why she was so interested in talking with her parents about their ecological footprint she said “Because everyone should be thinking about this issue, not just young people.”
Whether it’s the food we buy (local is best), the car we drive (think mpg), the homes we live in (square feet per person) or the number of miles we fly each year, our ecological footprint is in direct proportion to the myriad of decisions we make with our money.
I once heard someone say “show me a person’s checkbook and I’ll tell you what they value.” Perhaps a more contemporary version might be ‘show me a persons credit or debit card statement and I’ll tell you what they value.’ Regardless, it’s easy to get caught-up in a pattern of consumption without fully thinking through the impact of our decisions.
Amy is right; everyone should be more intentional in monitoring our ecological footprint not just those 18 to 34. And if the recycling movement of the 1970’s is any indication, it will be young people that help us develop new habits for the health of our planet.
One Share Save Spend Idea
Curious to learn more about my ecological footprint, I asked Amy if she had a recommendation for a good web site to expand my knowledge. She suggested www.myfootprint.org.
Sure enough I was able to take a brief quiz that measured my impact on the planet. I was doing really well until they asked how many miles I fly each year – ouch! According to their assessment, if everyone in the world lived like me it would take 4.6 planets to generate enough resources to match my consumption.
Money Talks – One question for teaching about money
What one thing could you do differently each week to positively impact the environment?
Gotta Have it Now - WOW!
Most food travels 1,200 miles or more from the pasture to your plate. Buying locally saves fuel and helps farmers in your community. Web sites like localharvest.org and usda.gov provide lists of local farmers markets.
Source: Newsweek
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