, SUS1501 Assignment 7 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester
2 2025 - DUE 30 September 2025; 100% correct solutions
and explanations.
My Ecological Footprint and Ethical Reflections
Part A – Reflection on my footprint
When I calculated my ecological footprint, I was struck by the result: my
personal Earth Overshoot Day falls on 14 March, and if everyone lived
like me, we would need the resources of five Earths to sustain our
collective lifestyle. At first, this felt shocking because I did not expect
my daily choices to contribute so heavily to environmental degradation.
I assumed I was moderately conscious about sustainability, but the result
highlights the opposite. According to the Global Footprint Network
(2024), true sustainability means living in such a way that the earth can
regenerate what we use within a year. My result makes it clear that I am
living far beyond this balance, depleting resources faster than the earth
can restore them.
Emotionally, I felt uneasy and even guilty about this. It is sobering to
realize that the way I live contributes to a much larger global problem of
overconsumption. However, beyond guilt, I also feel motivated. The
ecological footprint calculator has provided me with a mirror, showing
me that sustainability requires more than good intentions. It requires
deliberate lifestyle changes—using less energy, consuming less meat,
reducing waste, and rethinking transport and consumption habits
(Steffen et al., 2015). Although the result was uncomfortable, it has
given me clarity on the urgent need to make adjustments, both for the
planet and for my own moral consistency.
Part B – Where do I fit in?
2 2025 - DUE 30 September 2025; 100% correct solutions
and explanations.
My Ecological Footprint and Ethical Reflections
Part A – Reflection on my footprint
When I calculated my ecological footprint, I was struck by the result: my
personal Earth Overshoot Day falls on 14 March, and if everyone lived
like me, we would need the resources of five Earths to sustain our
collective lifestyle. At first, this felt shocking because I did not expect
my daily choices to contribute so heavily to environmental degradation.
I assumed I was moderately conscious about sustainability, but the result
highlights the opposite. According to the Global Footprint Network
(2024), true sustainability means living in such a way that the earth can
regenerate what we use within a year. My result makes it clear that I am
living far beyond this balance, depleting resources faster than the earth
can restore them.
Emotionally, I felt uneasy and even guilty about this. It is sobering to
realize that the way I live contributes to a much larger global problem of
overconsumption. However, beyond guilt, I also feel motivated. The
ecological footprint calculator has provided me with a mirror, showing
me that sustainability requires more than good intentions. It requires
deliberate lifestyle changes—using less energy, consuming less meat,
reducing waste, and rethinking transport and consumption habits
(Steffen et al., 2015). Although the result was uncomfortable, it has
given me clarity on the urgent need to make adjustments, both for the
planet and for my own moral consistency.
Part B – Where do I fit in?
