“Environmental Stoplight” is the name of the self-diagnosis tool that allows determining the ecological footprint at an individual level. In this first version, ten indicators are assessed, among which the following stand out: recycling, energy, transportation, water use.

The tool was born out of the concern of the Poverty Stoplight team in the face of the urgent need to implement actions in favor of the environment, at all levels, starting with the closest: the individual and family level.

As a first stage, it was proposed to assess the individual ecological footprint through ten indicators:

1. Responsible water consumption.
2. Waste classification.
3. Recycling culture.
4. Efficient use of energy.
5. Use of sustainable transport.
6. Reduction of the use of plastics.
7. Urban vegetable garden and composting.
8. Garbage disposal.
9. Climate change knowledge.
10. Environmental care promotion.

Although there are already several tools to determine the ecological footprint or the impact on the environment that is generated from various activities, the Environmental Stoplight differs from the existing ones due to two main characteristics.

On the one hand, it proposes an evaluation of scenarios according to the colors of the stoplight: green (keep it up), yellow (you are on the right track, but some adjustments are needed) and red (a complete change needs to be done).

On the other hand, this simple distinction of the indicators by colors allows the participant to obtain a life map at the end of the self-assessment, which is a synthesis of the answers in a graphic and easy-to-understand way.

In the experience of the Poverty Stoplight team, which has been using the same assessment logic with the colors of the Stoplight for over a decade, it has been observed that, in this way, the participant has the necessary guidelines to follow an improvement plan according to the indicators that need to be prioritized, that is, those red and then the yellow ones.

The first version of the “Environmental Stoplight” is available to the entire Spanish-speaking public free of charge. Anyone can access the tool through the link http://bit.ly/SemaforoAmbiental, using “ambiental” as username and “123456” as password.