A2 LEVEL Environmental Technology Ecological Footprint For first teaching from September 2014 For first award in Summer 2015 Sustainability and Future Development ©iStock / Thinkstock.com Fact File 3:Ecological Footprint andFutureSustainability Development consumption. needed to sustain theworld’s population at that level of aswell asthetotal footprintServices numberofPlanets categorized for Carbon, Food, Housing, and and Goods Footprint values at are theendofanecological survey nature’s to provide ability for this. natural resources thisagainst andlifestyles, andchecking An ecological footprint isameansofcomparing usageof consumption. bioproductive area, would berequired current to support What isanecological footprint? • • Students shouldbeableto: Understand theconcept ofOnePlanet Living(OPL). footprint. the linkbetween anecological footprint andacarbon an ecological footprint for individualsandnations and andexplainthe Define concept andmeasurement of Specification ContentSpecification Course Content and seaarea, as alsoknown to tell ushow muchland specific year andiscalculated based onconsumption over a An ecological footprint is resources consumed. to restore orreplenish the relation to theearth’s ability for natural resources in isameasure ofthedemand It of natural resources. required theiruse to support the amount oflandandsea environment, expressed as onthe or community ofaperson is theimpact An ecological footprint

© iStock / Thinkstock.com An accounting balance sheet within theEarth’s bounds. ofaworld where lives humanity insupport collective action ecological assetsmore wiselyandtakepersonal our pressure ontheplanet,whichhelpsusmanageour city, business, nation, orallofhumanity—we canassess theFootprint measuring By ofapopulation—an individual, us. support the average lifestyle, American we’d needfive planets to UK we’d us. we needthree If alllived planetsto support as many natural resources astheaverage personinthe isestimated intheworld that ifeveryone consumedIt example, for aregion into orpopulation by account taking simple terms ecologicalIn footprint canbecalculated for your-country-here/ http://efergy.com/blog/top-10-eco-footprint-countries-is- Examples ofecological calculators are available on-line of data andentering itinto acomputer modelorcalculator. nations ecological footprint requires gathering quite alot The measurement andcalculation ofanindividualsor How isecological footprint calculated? replace thoseresources thewaste. and absorb On theplussideisEarth’s to itsability bio-capacity, waste created by allthoseactions. use, logging, farming, buildingconstruction, fishingandthe Since ecological footprints measure thedemandhuman life, suchasenergy human that support consuming activities side are resource- On theminus world. balance sheetfor the like anaccounting todescribed work nature. canbe It populations puton . 1 Sustainability and Future Development ©Thinkstock ecological footprint, butare notusedinthesameway as ofan Greenhouse gascalculations makeupaportion greenhouse gasesreleased dueto offossil burning fuels. also dealswithresource onthe usagebutfocuses strictly footprint footprint? andcarbon What’s thedifference between ecological biodiversity. footprint, thelarger theresponsibility to maintain ecological footprint, for example, thelarger theecological area oflandandwater to isallocated the inproportion www.steppingforward.org.uk on, landisnolongerbioproductive inany year. Built landusage-suchasbuildingsandroads. Once built emissionstocarbon stabiliseCO2 levels intheatmosphere. Energy land- ‘new’ forest required for of theabsorption and seafood. Bioproductive seausage-area required to provide fish produce suchascrops, grazing (pasture) andtimber(forest). Bioproductive landusage-required to produce ‘bio’ the following factors: environment. onthe ofhumanactivity impact calculationsBoth illustrate the footprint.those inacarbon A carbon footprintA carbon resources. needed to replace those and water area that is consume withtheland resources people compares thetotal as explainedearlier An ecological footprint, calculated. This footprint isbeing the ecological thatcommunity population or the particular biodiversity in aside to preserve need to be set- water that would area oflandand this refers to the requirement- Biodiversity capacity oftheplanet. capacity oflifecan enjoy ahighquality withintheproductive a visionofsustainableworld, inwhichpeopleeverywhere life withintheirfairshare oftheoneearth’s resources. has It toLiving isfor of enjoy ahighquality peopleeverywhere us.need three planetsto support The aimofOnePlanet resources astheaverage personin Western Europe, we’d intheworld everyone consumed asmanyIf natural PlanetLiving One HAPPINESS HEALTH AND ECONOMY ANDLOCALEQUITY HERITAGE CULTURE AND WILDLIFE LAND USEAND SUSTAINABLE WATER SUSTAINABLE FOOD LOCAL AND S S ZERO WASTE ZERO CARBON MATERIALS TRANSPORT USTAINABLE USTAINABLE renewable orwaste resources energy, sourced locally, madefrom such asthosewithlow embodied Using sustainable andhealthy products, the needto travel to reducetransport emissions, reducing Encouraging low modesof carbon health andwell being livesmeaningful to promote good Encouraging active, sociable, communities andinternational fairtrade fairemployment, inclusive support Creating bioregional economies that inthearts andparticipating supporting andwisdom, localidentity Reviving integration into thebuildenvironment through appropriate landuseand biodiversity andnatural habitats Protecting andrestoring existing pollution local floodingand water course tackling weand intheproducts buy; Using water more efficiently inbuildings waste and organic dietsandreducing food local,Choosing low seasonal impact, landfill and ultimately sending zero waste to waste,Reducing reusing where possible, renewable technologies efficient anddelivering allenergy with buildingsmore energy Making

©Thinkstock 2 One Planet Living is a model based on ten simple principles which provide a framework to make sustainable living easy and affordable for all.

Pupil Activity

Activity 1: Watch the TED Talk www.ted.com/talks/paul_gilding_the_earth_is_full.html

Activity 2: Using the web link http://footprint.wwf.org.uk calculate your environmental footprint.

Activity 3: Take the quiz at the following web link to find out how much nature your lifestyle requires www.myfootprint.org

Activity 4: Consider each of the ten actions for One Planet Living, list ways in which The One Planet model may be applied to your school or college environment.

Internet Resources: www.sustainablescale.org www.wwf.panda.org www.earthday.org