Question

Why does my ecological footprint change depending which country I live in?

I just did a test online to see my ecological footprint.

Answer 1

Your ecological footprint is dependent on your culture, the technology available to you, and the laws and limits related to environmental regulation your government puts in place.

Explanation:

Your ecological footprint is dependent on your culture, the technology available to you, and the laws and limits related to environmental regulation your government puts in place.

Your ecological footprint is affected by how much land you live on, if you drive (how much do you drive, what is the gas mileage of your car, what are the emissions laws in your country for cars), what foods you eat and where they come from, where your electricity comes from, and so forth.

Thus, if you live in Sweden where there is a great emphasis on green energy and a comparatively low reliance on fossil fuels, your footprint will be affected by this.

To contrast, if you live in a country that is still developing economically in terms of technology, where most people do not have access to cars and electricity at all, your footprint will be lower than those who do have regular access to air travel, automobiles, electricity, and so forth.

Another factor to consider is the governmental regulations. If your government states that pollution from factories and cars need to meet a certain standard, that will mean that any car you purchase or factory you work at or purchase goods from will have a lower footprint than without these governmental standards. This will lower your footprint.

Lastly, the culture you live in, how much value is given to being green and conserving, will likely have an impact on you. If you grow up in a household where recycling and composting is the norm and your family and friends bike everywhere possible, this is very different from growing up someplace where driving is a symbol of wealth and prestige.

Yale has a really great site where you can see the environmental performance of countries based on their agricultural practices, water resources, climate and energy, and more.

You can also calculate your footprint online through the World Wildlife Foundation here.