Plymouth has consumed its fair share of the Earth's resources for the entire year and will be going into ecological debt on the 11th May, a report by WWF-UK has calculated.

This means that for the rest of the year, residents will be contributing to an unsustainable global debt that is having major impacts on the planet. The people of Plymouth have the lowest impact on the environment of any city in the country and would need nearly three planets to sustain the amount of resources they use. The people of Winchester have the highest overall footprint in England and went into eco-debt on April 10th.

Our current lifestyles in the UK are depleting the Earth’s natural resources quicker than it can replace them and driving rapid changes in the world including climate change, deforestation and the near extinction of many species.

But the people of Plymouth can take action to help reduce their impact on the planet. By calculating their footprint at http://footprint.wwf.org.uk, as part of WWF's One Planet Future campaign, they can then devise a plan to reduce it.

Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK, said: “Even the most green city resident can, on average, only reduce their footprint by one third - moving from a UK average of a three planet lifestyle to a two planet lifestyle. This clearly indicates that the one planet challenge is not just about consumers - government and business must also play their part to avoid the most devastating impacts on the environment.”

Linda Gilroy MP for Plymouth Sutton said: “As an MP I am very aware of the need to promote sustainability and that is why I am a strong supporter of both the Climate Change Bill and the Marine Bill.

“This event will further raise awareness and stimulate debate of the impact we are having on the environment, the challenge posed by climate change - and the action we can all take to make a difference.  I have made a note in my diary to start thinking even harder about what I can do to cut my footprint by reducing what I use and recycling what I have used.”

The data comes from a WWF report, Ecological Footprint of British City Residents, which calculated the average ecological footprint of cities’ residents. An individual’s ecological footprint relates to the land and sea area required to provide food, resources and energy, as well as absorb waste and pollution. The main factors affecting this are housing, food, consumer goods, public and private services and transport. Winchester came out top of the 61 cities whose residents had their footprint calculated in the report.

We are likely to experience more extreme weather events such as heat-waves and flooding, increased food prices (caused by flood damaged crops) and higher costs of running our homes (domestic energy use on household products has doubled in the last 30 years). Native species including hedgehogs are also under threat due to warmer winters and reduced availability of their food supply and many of our trees will also be affected by the changing climate and competition between different species.

TOP TEN TIPS TO REDUCE YOUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT
1. Reduce car journeys - whenever there is an alternative use public transport, cycle or walk.
2. Grow your own vegetables, only buy the food you need and think about how you can use up left over food.
3. Instead of flying, take holidays in the UK or use the train to get to Europe.
4. If you need a car, get a small fuel efficient one.
5. Instead of spending money on brand new things, buy second hand, or borrow.
6. Try to make your home more energy efficient through insulation and double glazing.
7. Turn thermostat down.
8. Reduce the amount of meat you eat.
9. Eat as much locally produced organic food as possible.
10. Recycle everything you can.