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E C O L O G I C A L F O O T P R I N T

Ecological Footprint, Footprint, , &

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

§ compares total people consume with land & area that is needed to replace

those resources & absorb CO2 emissions § indicator of human pressure on

§ gives an estimate of area in hectares (acres or ) that is required for a human to live based on his or her

Ecological Footprint & 2 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 3 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 4 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 5 E C O L O G I C A L F O O T P R I N T

§ individual’s Ecological Footprint varies significantly depending on # of factors, § country of residence (government services) § quantity of goods & services they consume § resources used & generated to provide these goods and services

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 6 E C O L O G I C A L F O O T P R I N T

Example: Driving a car requires built land for roads, parking & so on, as well as a large amount of forested '' land to re-absorb the carbon emissions generated from petrol use. In addition, energy & materials are used for construction & maintenance of the vehicle.

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 7 R E D U C I N G F O O T P R I N T

§ Because of large area of land or sea needed to raise livestock & catch fish, eating less & fish could reduce your footprint by up to 40%.

§ Individual who eats locally grown food reduces their overall Footprint by decreasing amount of energy needed to their food.

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 8

§ how much you use & amount of green house gases you emit

§ many different greenhouse gases  convert to

tonnes or kilograms of equivalent CO2 § carbon component of ecological footprint takes slightly differing approach

§ translates amount of CO2 into amount of productive

land & sea area required to sequester (absorb) CO2 emissions § demand on planet that results from burning fossil fuels

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 9 B I O C A P A C I T Y

§ biological capacity - area of land & sea available to serve a particular use § represents ’s ability to meet human demand for material & waste disposal

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 10 how much nations consume versus how much they actually have

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 11 http://ingienous.com/?page_id=3876

World Total Biocapacity: 1.78 gha per capita World Ecological Footprint of Consumption: 2.69 gha per capita (i.e. we are using more resources than the can provide.)

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 12 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 13 WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT: TOP 10

In global hectares per person (gha/person)

Qatar – wealthy from oil; citizens provided with free electricity & free water (desalinization)

U.S. - love of road trips, suspicion of public transit, & growing energy demands fuel country's high per-capita carbon emissions

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 14 how much nations consume versus how much they actually have

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 15 U.S. vs. WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS

http:// storymaps.esri.com/ /globalfootprint/

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 16 WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

§ if everyone lived like an average § Indonesian: only 2/3 of planet’s biocapacity would be used § Argentinean: humanity would demand > ½ an additional planet § USA resident: 4 Earths would be required to regenerate humanity’s annual demand on nature

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 17 O V E R S H O O T

§ point where human consumption & waste production exceed nature`s capacity to create new resources & absorb waste.

§ Earth's regenerative capacity can no longer keep up with demand - people are turning resources into waste faster than nature can turn waste back into resources.

§ "Humanity is living off its ecological credit card” - , director of

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 18 O V E R S H O O T

§ 1972: humans were using 85% of regenerative capacity of biosphere to support economic activities such as growing food, producing goods & assimilating

§ 1970s, humanity passed point at which annual Ecological Footprint matched Earth’s annual biocapacity

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 19 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 20 O V E R S H O O T

§ Now: 150% & growing § 1.5 planets to support us § it takes the Earth one year & six months to regenerate what we use in a year

§ We will need two Earth's resources by 2030… § ...But 4.5 if everyone consumes like the U.S. & other rich nations

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 21 O V E R S H O O T § current overshoot is largely due to carbon emissions

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 22 O V E R S H O O T § greenhouse gases are being emitted twice as fast as & can absorb them.

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 23 CARBON FOOTPRINT

§ 54% of humanity’s overall Ecological Footprint & its most rapidly-growing component

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 24 WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 25 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 26 P O P U L A T I O N E C O L O G Y

§ If we want to achieve sustainability, we need to focus on 2 things: § our own lifestyle § government services

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 27 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 28 ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

§ Take the ecological quiz at http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/ index.php/GFN/page/calculators/ (linked on Ms. Manzella’s Teacher page) § Click on reduce your footprint. Read through the list & write down 3 you might consider doing § Fill out & cut out your ecological footprint § Explore website - Footprint Basics § Retake quiz using other countries as your home base

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 29 ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 30 ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 31 W H A T I S S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y ? S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

§ environmental sustainability - ability to meet humanity’s current needs without compromising the ability of to meet their needs

§ environment will function indefinitely without going into decline from stresses that human imposes on natural that maintain life

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 33 S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

§ Consider the effects of our actions § Understand that Earth’s resources are limited § Understand ALL the costs of the products we consume § Each of us has a responsibility

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 34 S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

§ Human behavior that is not sustainable § using nonrenewable resources as if we have an infinite supply § using renewable resources faster than they can be replenished naturally § polluting the environment § increasing human

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 35 S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

§ – that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own economic needs

§ – use of goods and services that satisfy basic human needs and improve the but that also minimize the use of resources.

Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 36