Do we know the total environmental costs of our lives? How, where and from what were the products we consume and utilize for our activities produced? What are the implications for nature and environment? What are the subsequent impacts on people? There are many questions which surround our everyday life. The only thing we know for sure is that nature will survive. But how to make humanity to flourish on this planet also in thousand years? what about million years? What about the time our children will grow up? Is humanity able to share the planet with someone it needs to sustain our lives? Are people able to make agreements which will limit their short time well/being in the benefit of future and their own children?
I do not know the answers. What I have learnt is that if you want action, you need a force. The results of my research aim to provide the force. If consumers were more aware of the global environmental and social consequences of their consumption and their impact on people in other parts of the globe it would undoubtedly lead to more conscious efforts to modify their behavior and add pressure to business and governments to amend their policies. However, it is necessary first to quantify and to provide evidence regarding those consequences.
I am just a small piece in the puzzle. See carbonfootprintofnations.com which covers results of more researchers for the global displacements of greenhouse gas emissions, water use, land use, fossil energy and impacts on biodiversity. If still alive, visit eureapa.net and try to design your own consumption and production patterns to see how they change the environmental profile of our society.
The nice thing about science is that the way to answer a question creates new questions.
Running projects (Jan Weinzettel as Principal Investigator)
Global Environmental Consequences Of Household Consumption (Czech Science Foundation, 2017–2019)
Environmental consequences of city-centered lifestyles
Running projects (Jan Weinzettel is involved in)
Past projects (Jan Weinzettel as Principal Investigator)