BioRegional’s Challenge For ONE PLANET LIVING
What if we could live our lives like we lived on only one planet? What if we were smart enough to use the earth’s resources like we needed them for all of eternity? The reality is, we do live on only one planet - but the fact is, as Americans, our current rate of consumption demands the resources of five total planets.
“Globally, we are consuming resources and polluting 30% more than the planet can sustain. Our increasing consumption means we leave less and less space for other species to flourish, and we are losing biodiversity at an alarming rate.” This is BioRegional’s statement for why we need One Planet Living. One Planet Living is the “Challenge of our Times”
BioRegional has created the One Planet Living Program as a method for achieving change by using ecological footprinting as the tool for judging success. The goals of the One Planet Living Program are 1) Build a world-wide network of One Planet Living Communities that demonstrate One Planet Living in action 2) Establish One Planet Living Centers in each One Planet Living Community as a focus for education 3) Promote the imperative for One Planet Living and its guiding principles to catalyze change with governments, business and individuals.
The One Planet Living model is based on ten principles and are used as a holistic sustainability framework.
Different countries around the globe consume and pollute at different rates. For example, as Americans, we need five planets to support us whereas Europeans only need 3.
BioRegional is an entrepreneurial development group acting as an independent environmental organization. As a group, they develop award winning, commercially viable products that help to enable One Planet Living. BioRegional works in regions and communities such as United Arab Emirates (7 planet lifestyle), North America (5 planet lifestyle), Western Europe (3 planet lifestyle) and China (1 planet lifestyle).
One Planet Living is possible now. The BedZED community in London is one example of a community already living at a one-planet level.
Want to see what your individual impact is on our planet? Click here to calculate your eco-footprint and carbon emissions.
Check back in tomorrow for GreenFab’s post on a One Planet Living community currently in progress.
