What is the Number of Planets Needed to Support Your Way of Life?

While climate change looms as humanity’s greatest environmental showdown, other formidable challenges await us. Humanity is already confronting five additional threats from a list of nine cataclysmic scenarios, each breach pushing our planet closer to the brink of losing its regulatory balance.

The framework of planetary boundaries offers scientists invaluable insights, yet it can be overwhelming for the layperson. Grasping the magnitude of one global crisis is tough enough, let alone tackling seven, including the likes of biodiversity depletion and microplastic pollution — it might seem easier to just throw in the towel.

However, “hold your horses,” as Christophe Girardier of TechCrunch conversed. His venture, Glimpact, is introducing MyGlimpact, a novel application aiming to enlighten users about their ecological impact without inducing guilt.

Girardier’s mission was to offer “a clear-eyed view of the environmental predicament, which encompasses more than just climate change but is indeed systemic,” he explained. “While citizens contribute to the environmental dilemma, the bulk of the responsibility rests with governments, policymakers, and corporations.”

This no-signup-required app inquires about your day-to-day activities, from modes of transport to dietary preferences, and how you manage home heating and cooling or your shopping habits for clothing over the year. Users can take a straightforward route by answering simple inquiries per category, thereby permitting the app to infer details, or opt for a more rigorous approach with detailed questions for precision.

MyGlimpact then processes this information using its cloud software, evaluating the user’s impact across sixteen different aspects.

At its core, it utilizes the same analytical tools that Glimpact avails to large enterprises for their environmentally-focused reporting, mandated by global regulators and governments. For app users, these findings are distilled to show the planetary resources their lifestyle demands, a revelation shared first-hand with TechCrunch before its public rollout on Thursday.

According to the app, our current ways would necessitate the resources of 2.93 Earths. While there are areas for improvement—like the app not considering my household’s reliance on renewable energy via a community solar initiative—it also suggests avenues for reducing our environmental footprints or advocating for political reforms.

The sobering realization the app brings is the significant environmental cost ingrained within our societal and economic frameworks. Despite efforts to minimize my ecological footprint through various means—from driving electric vehicles, minimizing commutes, opting for public transport, to a diet low in meat, and living in a well-insulated home with efficient climate control—I’ve barely managed to keep our demand below three Earths.

The broader notion of an environmental footprint encompasses more than just carbon emissions and has been conceptualized for some time. MyGlimpact personalizes this concept. While it could provide more guidance on lifestyle adjustments and how to push for corporate and political change, it nonetheless serves as a compelling tool for those seeking to understand their environmental responsibility better.