Monday, May 12, 2008

The Greendex is pretty interesting

Here's another footprint-type calculator where you can compare yourself to our national average (not good) and to ratings of other countries.

http://event.nationalgeographic.com/greendex/index.html

I answered the questions, and found it gave a more nuanced picture than other calculators I have used. Usually I am over the top because I live alone and drive a lot for work/ministry purposes. Here, work miles are exempted, and eating and recycling habits count. But when I compared myself to the descriptions of countries with average scores similar to mine, the similar scores come from very different practices. Also, I noticed there were comments on water use for the various countries, but I didn't find the questions in the survey for individuals.

What makes me saddest about things like this is that they are based on the assumption that everyone is defined by their consumption habits. Of course, in one sense we are - but aren't some of the habits ones of producing and sustaining?

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