GGH3701
ASSIGNMENT 1 2025
DUE 9 APRIL 2025
SEMESTER 1 2025
,GGH3701 Assignment 1 2025
QUESTION 1
Tip: Before you commence with your short essay, please review the mark allocation for
each
Sub-question.
Short essay (< 850); Please do not exceed the word count guideline.
No references are needed -- this is an evaluation of your OWN personal environmental
footprint
Introduce yourself and consider the present state of your surrounding environment
where you live (Introduction).
1. Consider your environmental footprint. List the five (5) most common
resources that you use on a daily basis (e.g. paper and water etc.).
2. Calculate your personal environmental footprint on a local scale (in your own
community), by using ONE (select and use only 1) of the given environmental
footprint tools available via the provided links and INCLUDE your calculated
environmental footprint:
My Personal Environmental Footprint
My name is Xandi, and I currently live in Joubertina, Eastern Cape province of South
Africa. The environment around me is a mix of natural beauty and increasing human
development. In my community, we are fortunate to have access to clean air and water,
but we also face challenges such as littering, illegal dumping, and limited awareness of
sustainable living practices. As someone who is becoming more environmentally
conscious, I have started paying closer attention to the impact my daily actions have on
the planet.
1. Five Resources I Use Daily
In my daily life, I rely on several natural and manufactured resources. The five most
common resources I use are is electricity, I use electricity for lighting, charging
electronic devices, cooking, and accessing online resources for my studies.
, I use water for bathing, washing dishes, cooking, and drinking.
I consume products packaged in plastic, especially food items from supermarkets.
Although I do not drive, I rely on public transport that uses fuel, contributing to
emissions indirectly. I use paper for note-taking, printing assignments, and reading
learning materials. Each of these resources plays a role in my environmental footprint,
either through direct consumption or through the systems I depend on.
2. My Environmental Footprint
After using the Global Footprint Network Calculator, my personal Earth Overshoot Day
was calculated as 26 March. This means that if everyone on Earth lived the same
lifestyle as I do, we would need 4.3 Earths to sustain humanity. This result was eye-
opening and made me reflect on the changes I need to make in my daily habits.
3. Primary Contributors to My Environmental Footprint
The main contributors to my high environmental footprint were my diet. I often consume
processed and animal-based foods, which have a higher environmental cost due to
water usage, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
I live in a household that uses electricity for multiple appliances, many of which are not
energy-efficient. Although I don’t drive, my frequent use of taxis and buses still
contributes to fuel emissions.
4. Five Measures to Reduce My Environmental Footprint
Based on the results of the calculator and my reflection, I have identified five practical
actions I can take to lower my environmental impact
Reduce Meat Priority 1
I plan to eat more plant-based meals and reduce my intake of red meat and dairy. This
will help lower the carbon emissions linked to food production and transportation.
ASSIGNMENT 1 2025
DUE 9 APRIL 2025
SEMESTER 1 2025
,GGH3701 Assignment 1 2025
QUESTION 1
Tip: Before you commence with your short essay, please review the mark allocation for
each
Sub-question.
Short essay (< 850); Please do not exceed the word count guideline.
No references are needed -- this is an evaluation of your OWN personal environmental
footprint
Introduce yourself and consider the present state of your surrounding environment
where you live (Introduction).
1. Consider your environmental footprint. List the five (5) most common
resources that you use on a daily basis (e.g. paper and water etc.).
2. Calculate your personal environmental footprint on a local scale (in your own
community), by using ONE (select and use only 1) of the given environmental
footprint tools available via the provided links and INCLUDE your calculated
environmental footprint:
My Personal Environmental Footprint
My name is Xandi, and I currently live in Joubertina, Eastern Cape province of South
Africa. The environment around me is a mix of natural beauty and increasing human
development. In my community, we are fortunate to have access to clean air and water,
but we also face challenges such as littering, illegal dumping, and limited awareness of
sustainable living practices. As someone who is becoming more environmentally
conscious, I have started paying closer attention to the impact my daily actions have on
the planet.
1. Five Resources I Use Daily
In my daily life, I rely on several natural and manufactured resources. The five most
common resources I use are is electricity, I use electricity for lighting, charging
electronic devices, cooking, and accessing online resources for my studies.
, I use water for bathing, washing dishes, cooking, and drinking.
I consume products packaged in plastic, especially food items from supermarkets.
Although I do not drive, I rely on public transport that uses fuel, contributing to
emissions indirectly. I use paper for note-taking, printing assignments, and reading
learning materials. Each of these resources plays a role in my environmental footprint,
either through direct consumption or through the systems I depend on.
2. My Environmental Footprint
After using the Global Footprint Network Calculator, my personal Earth Overshoot Day
was calculated as 26 March. This means that if everyone on Earth lived the same
lifestyle as I do, we would need 4.3 Earths to sustain humanity. This result was eye-
opening and made me reflect on the changes I need to make in my daily habits.
3. Primary Contributors to My Environmental Footprint
The main contributors to my high environmental footprint were my diet. I often consume
processed and animal-based foods, which have a higher environmental cost due to
water usage, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
I live in a household that uses electricity for multiple appliances, many of which are not
energy-efficient. Although I don’t drive, my frequent use of taxis and buses still
contributes to fuel emissions.
4. Five Measures to Reduce My Environmental Footprint
Based on the results of the calculator and my reflection, I have identified five practical
actions I can take to lower my environmental impact
Reduce Meat Priority 1
I plan to eat more plant-based meals and reduce my intake of red meat and dairy. This
will help lower the carbon emissions linked to food production and transportation.
