Sometimes I wonder about the costs that I personally impose on the planet. This usually happens when I hear of people being held up, by others, as having made a positive contribution. Is it not interesting that society is seemingly constantly being deprived of its best people? In the main, these are young people. As British rock band Queen’s 1997 song, No-One But You, released following the death of the band’s lead singer, Freddie Mercury, goes: “One by one; Only the good die young; They’re only flying’ too close to the sun; And life goes on; Without you.”

If I had a choice in the matter, I would want to visualise, when I clock out, the full extent of my consumption during my days on earth. I would not want to see my life flashing before my eyes during those final minutes or seconds. In part, this is due to a tale that my grandmother related when I was quite young. It was the tale of a man who, during his final moments, experienced his life flashing before his eyes before he fell asleep. (Scientists call it life review experiences, or LREs, and group it with, among others, daydream experiences.)

But I digress. Just before I die, I want to visualise the full extent of my consumption. I visualise a wholesale. Come to think it, it resembles a Makro. I see many pallets of Bar Ones, many litres of Sparletta cream soda and bags upon bags of tomato-flavoured Fritos. What I do not want to contemplate is the amount of meat I would have consumed.

As for the meat, I remember the stories my grandfather told of the Khoisan and native Americans, who used to speak to the animals they killed for food before they died. The poison that they used caused the animals to fall into a trance, which allowed them to engaged the animals before the poison eventually killed them. In the few minutes before the animals died, they would promise the animals that they would honour them in life by using their energy most efficiently and optimally.

How many people give the food before them a second thought? How many people even say grace for their food? How many people finish the food that they have dished or has been dished for them?

It makes no difference who the person is, ecologically speaking – the only contribution that you make to this planet is negative. It makes no difference if you have a sparkling personality or are held up as a role model by others when you are no longer present to blush at such overexaggerations.

If you want to assess your contri- bution, why not take two minutes? It takes no more than that amount of time to understand how the way you live impacts on this planet. Simply visit the website of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), an international nongovernmental organisation that was founded in 1961 and works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of humanity’s footprint on the environment. Every two years, it publishes the Living Planet Report, which it has been publishing since 1998, based on the Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculation. Visit http://wwf.panda.org/how_you_can_help/live_green/footprint_calculator/ to calculate your ‘ecological footprint’, which is defined as the measure of human demand on nature and compares human consumption of natural resources with the earth’s ecological capacity to regenerate them.

There are obvious general considerations. Completely turn off electronic equipment when you are not using them. Choose energy efficient appliances and light bulbs. Save water by turning off the tap when you are brushing your teeth or shaving. Lower your blinds or close your curtains on hot days to keep your house cool and reduce the use of electric fans or air conditioning. Let clothes dry naturally. Keep lids on pans when cooking to conserve energy. Use rechargeable batteries. Do not use ‘throw away’ products like paper plates and napkins or plastic knives, forks and cups.

You can also make a difference when shopping by, for example, taking your own bags and looking for products that have minimal packaging. At work, you are able to make a difference too. Use printers that can print on both sides of the paper. Use the back of a draft or unwanted printout instead of notebooks. Switch off computer monitors, printers and other equipment at the end of each day. When they are in standby mode, they still use power. Always turn off your office light and computer monitor when you go out for lunch or to a meeting.

Even when on holiday, you can make a difference. Go on holiday during the off-peak period to prevent overstraining resources. Do not travel by air if you can avoid it because air travel uses up large amounts of fossil fuels and creates greenhouse gases. Dispose of any rubbish responsibly; it can be hazardous to wildlife. Use facilities run by local people whenever possible. Do not be tempted to touch wildlife and disturb habitats, whether on land, at the coast or under water. Be careful what you choose to bring home as a holiday souvenir. Many species from coral and conch shells to elephants and alligators are endangered because they are killed for curios or souvenirs.

Some final thoughts: do not forget the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Always use both sides of a sheet of paper. Use email to stay in touch instead of faxing or writing. Use washable nappies instead of disposable ones. Recycle as much as you can. Give unwanted clothes, toys and books to charities and orphanages. Store food and other products in containers rather than foil and plastic wrap.

Though it might sound like work, make it a habit and improve your experience, and reduce your impact on the planet and enjoy life. As Winnie the Pooh reminds us: “Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.”