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Personal Impact on Environment & Slavery

1) The author discusses taking two quizzes to learn about their personal environmental impact and contribution to modern slavery through consumerism. 2) The results showed the author has an ecological footprint of 3.5, uses over twice the global average resources, and has a slavery footprint equivalent to 36 slaves working for them. 3) While the author considered themselves reasonably environmentally responsible, the results shocked them and motivated them to further reduce packaging waste, use renewable energy more, and drive less to lower their footprints.

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134 views6 pages

Personal Impact on Environment & Slavery

1) The author discusses taking two quizzes to learn about their personal environmental impact and contribution to modern slavery through consumerism. 2) The results showed the author has an ecological footprint of 3.5, uses over twice the global average resources, and has a slavery footprint equivalent to 36 slaves working for them. 3) While the author considered themselves reasonably environmentally responsible, the results shocked them and motivated them to further reduce packaging waste, use renewable energy more, and drive less to lower their footprints.

Uploaded by

api-532585297
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1

Environmental Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

Emma Zoccoli

GNM 1056

Dr. Jauregui

Stockton University
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Environmental Responsibility

Abstract

In this paper, I discuss my personal impact on the ecosystem and modern slavery through

consumerism. I discuss the quizzes I took that showed me the personal impact I was making. I

understand the results of these quizzes and discuss ways that I can make a personal goal to better

myself, and how I feel my overall actions are viewed.


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Environmental Responsibility

Table of Contents Page

Introduction 4

Method 4

Results 4

Discussion 4

Conclusion 5

Reference 6
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Environmental Responsibility

Introduction

The consumer industry is a big part of our lives. After all, this is where we get the things

that we use in our everyday lives; our wants and needs. The consumer industry is not an isolated

production. It interacts heavily with the environment and society, and not all of these interactions

are positive. Although we cannot change how the consumer industry operates, we can change

what we do to contribute to these negative interactions between the industry, society, and the

environment.

Method

In order to see how much I contributed to this industry, I took two quizzes. One quiz told

me my ecological footprint based on my everyday activities. Another quiz told me my slavery

footprint; how many products I use that were made using slave labor.

Results

My ecological footprint was 3.5. My carbon footprint was 5.4, and that made up 53% of

my ecological footprint ([Link]). If the whole world lived like me, we would

need 2.1 earths to provide all of the resources we would use ([Link]). This means

I use over twice the resources I should. My slavery footprint showed that I have 36 slaves

working for me ([Link]).

Discussion

Although I previously considered myself a decently ecologically responsible person,

these numbers say otherwise. I make the conscious effort to buy fewer things that I don’t

need. I carpool whenever I can. I use a reusable water bottle rather than plastic, and I

don’t eat meat. I do know there are more things I can do. We make about 4.5 pounds of

garbage a day (Anne Leonard). I know most of what I throw away is packaging. Eating
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Environmental Responsibility

less packaged food can help both my slavery footprint and my ecological footprint, but it

is hard as a college student. The ecological footprint quiz suggested I use more renewable

energy and try to use my car less ([Link]).

Conclusion

Although these numbers horrified me a bit, I still don’t consider myself a

completely irresponsible person. Some things are simply a bit out of my control as I’m a

college student who has to rely on things that are convenient, but maybe not ecologically

friendly. However, these quizzes did make me more conscious of the things I did in the

past few days, and I will continue to work on my actions. The world is not a hopeless

project to fix if we all do our part.


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Environmental Responsibility

References

[Link]

Leonard, Anne, “The Story of Stuff”, 2009

[Link]

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