The Global Footprint Network posts an online calculator that tells you your footprint (the site defines the term. It’s not vague.) It also shows footprints for every country.

I’ve posted my results before, but didn’t graph them, which makes them easier to see.

If someone as addicted to modern life as I was could change that much, anyone can. The more resources someone has the harder to change, in my experience. People who are privileged believe it’s harder for them, which makes sense. The heaviest users of something addictive tend to be the most addicted. I was.

Imagine the people in the rest of the world hearing an average American suggesting how to lower their footprint. They must see the average American giving advice like a heroin addict advising how to stop taking heroin. Can anything more clearly state that American’s first task should be reducing our pollution? I guess I could add that consumption and quality of life don’t correlate for most Americans beyond a minimum, though they don’t cause nearly the pollution as everyone else.

Here is how they presented it, which doesn’t compare with my nation or the world, nor graph it.

My old footprint

Back when I believed what I did didn’t matter, and that only governments and corporations could make a difference, that recycling and fusion would help, my footprint would likely have been higher than the average American’s, with all my flying. Something like:

EDIT: the latest version

I’ve updated it:

EDIT: For 2022:

• ← A way to lower pollution that would work
• “Bucket list” means craving. You’ll never be satisfied with other places until you’re satisfied where you are. →