Online platform PSLifestyle provides information about the environmental impact of daily activities and encourages thinking about how to change current habits through smarter daily actions. So far, more than a million people have taken the test.

“We were challenged by the Sitra Foundation, which had already developed the PS Lifestyle project in Finland. When it applied this carbon footprint calculator in Finland, one million citizens took part in the test. So they came to talk to us, because it is about a “Project that wants to be advertised at European level and also beyond. This made sense to us, given that a significant portion of our activities are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions,” said Fernanda Santos of DECO To News from Portugal.

This platform allows “consumers to realize that the houses we choose to live in, the food we eat, the food choices we make, the way we travel. Many of our daily activities as consumers contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and have an impact on the environment. This tool allows us to realize our impact more precisely and individually,” he emphasized.

With some test questions we can see how our actions are quantified. This is important because when we talk about greenhouse gas emissions, we don’t really realize how much impact each of us has on those emissions in our daily lives.

“We know that if we use energy, we cause greenhouse gas emissions. We know that cars emit greenhouse gases, as does air travel, but how much? This test gives a quantitative assessment,” he said.

Many consumers are surprised by this example, but if we choose to take an airplane, which is now a very attractive leisure option for most people, it is one of the options that has the greatest environmental impact.” hours per year significantly increases carbon emissions, and this tool provides this information very accurately. This really helps people understand the emissions that come from their choices,” said Fernanda Santos.

Besides transportation, which has the biggest impact, food also has a big impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Particularly meat, red meat and dairy consumption, nutrition is one of the areas with the highest environmental impact, according to DECO.

The questionnaire contains 32 questions and at the end there is a graph that allows you to see how much greenhouse gas emissions your specific activities cause and which areas have the highest greenhouse gas emissions, be it food, transport, home, the way we eat, for example . It’s very practical. Anyone can take this test. And the best part is that it is also in English.

This tool is available in eight European countries: Portugal, Germany, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Finland and Estonia, so the questions are more general and not tailored to specific country situations, as it is important to identify the different countries participating in PSLifestyle. .


Changes in every person are fundamental

Unfortunately, there is still a widespread belief that it is useless to do better if the neighbor does not change his behavior, or that our behavior in itself does not matter, but it is important to recognize that the actions of each of us matter.

“We always leave the action to others because we think that our actions in themselves do not solve anything. It is important to realize that we live in a society and that everyone’s actions matter. If I change and each of us changes, change will happen,” Fernanda said.

In this sense, young people are very concerned about the environment, and this can be a lesson for us older people to change our behavior. But there is also something to mobilize among young people,” he admits.

“First of all, what you need is a sense that the person has insight into his own behavior,” he emphasized.

Tips for a Better Life

Based on the test results, you will receive personalized recommendations on lifestyle choices. With these tips, you can start putting together a plan that works for your life and helps the environment. Additionally, by using this app, you help organizers learn about sustainability. “Your answers and choices end up in a pool of anonymized data,” the site says.

For more information or to take the test, visit https://pslifestyle-app.net/selections.

If you would like to provide feedback after taking the test, please send an email to [email protected].