Jobless couple with 12 children are given a £500,000 home (and yes, you're paying!)

[Wayne Luke]

.......and for the rest of you in the USA... INCOME TAX... do you have to pay that? - have you checked lately? - found the LAW that says you have to PAY TAX? hmmmm? i think you should find out... and when you do...if you do... why the hell wasn't you informed...simple, don't be angry,,,just tell your friends, get the proof you need and create a revolution because you my friends are being SHAFTED big time...

Everyone in the U.S. pays income tax at least on the federal level. Even many government subsidies are subject to income tax. Others are subject to repayment.

In many states, California is one example, there are lifetime limits to subsidies as well as limits on how much you can get regardless of the number of children. The family in the first post is getting the US equivalent of $90,000 a year on subsidies. Not something you'll probably see in the United States. In California and on full subsidies, they would probably see a fourth of that per year here. The government wouldn't care if their house was too small, at least its a roof. They would be encouraged to get jobs or face losing all their benefits within 3 years. The parents and the older children would be required to go through job training as well.

[Jerry]

The key will be to get enough people to change.

Indeed, and that's a global challenge which I'm trying to help !

[Bema Jinn]

Are there any website or anything to measure carbon footprints, which also advises on how to reduce it?

[Wayne Luke]

Here is a worldwide calculator:

http://ecofoot.org/

Here is a UK calculator:

http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/

According to the article below, the UK is better off and averages at 3 planets.

http://www.wwf.org.uk/news/n_0000003149.asp

Reducing is often simple actions in today's life. Check out:

http://www.wwf.org.uk/oneplanet/ophome.asp

[Jerry]

Here is a worldwide calculator:
http://ecofoot.org/

A good one to do.

[whitetigergrowl]

That man should put a bloody condom on.

Thats just nasty.

[Jose Amaral Rego]

CATEGORY GLOBAL HECTARES

FOOD 1.5
MOBILITY 0.1
SHELTER 0.7
GOODS/SERVICES 0.8
TOTAL FOOTPRINT 3.1

1.7 planets, you have to starve to death and not use any transportation to live by results are acceptable by eco standards.

[Wayne Luke]

CATEGORY GLOBAL HECTARES

FOOD 1.5
MOBILITY 0.1
SHELTER 0.7
GOODS/SERVICES 0.8
TOTAL FOOTPRINT 3.1

1.7 planets, you have to starve to death and not use any transportation to live by results are acceptable by eco standards.

I'd say make the changes slower and you'd be surprised where you can make changes at. For instance instead of buy new movies now on DVD, we rent them from Netflix and we get most of our games from Gamefly. Hundreds of dollars saved every month and we don't notice a difference in our lifestyle instead there aren't a lot of typical one use items laying around. We reduced driving a lot but that is easier if you work at home. And have to seriously think every time we buy something to make sure it is really needed. I'll admit our biggest expense outside of housing and utilities is for groceries. My wife and I don't have a car payment. But we have been able to direct money from elsewhere to groceries because we don't buy as much. I think the only disposable product we buy is toilet paper. We don't use paper plates, paper napkins, plastic silverware or anything like that. We take our own mugs and cups to restaurants. We only try to shop at places that are certified as green, etc...

[WurkAnimal]

Thats just nasty.

Why is it?

[Wayne Luke]

Why is it?

Maybe he doesn't realize that some British use the word "bloody" as often as some Americans use the 'F' word. So instead of just a word to increase the exclamation, he actually thought of it as blood.

[Bema Jinn]

CATEGORY GLOBAL HECTARES
FOOD 1.3
MOBILITY 0.1
SHELTER 0.4
GOODS/SERVICES 0.4
TOTAL FOOTPRINT 2.2



IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 5.3 GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON.

WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 1.8 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON.



IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 1.2 PLANETS.

It doesn't really ask any lifestyle intensive questions, though.

[WurkAnimal]

Maybe he doesn't realize that some British use the word "bloody" as often as some Americans use the 'F' word. So instead of just a word to increase the exclamation, he actually thought of it as blood.

ahh i get you now. hahah!

[Dilly]

Well it will be your kids/grandkids/great grandkids that suffer.

Over population will be the least of their problems.

[someuser190826]

I think I did something wrong....

FOOD 4.2
MOBILITY 0.5
SHELTER 1.7
GOODS/SERVICES 2.3
TOTAL FOOTPRINT 8.7

IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 8.8 GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON.

WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 1.8 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON.


IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 4.8 PLANETS.


I copied and pasted the above results.

[Wayne Luke]

You're just living like an average American.. Its the lifestyle everyone wants these days.

Buy more local and in season foods and you can cut that down a lot.