Ecological Footprint

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Ecological Footprint
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Ecological Footprint

• Definition How much land and water a human
  population requires to produce the resources it
  consumes and to absorb its waste under current
  technology.
• Does not include all environmental impacts humans
  have on the environment
• toxic pollution
• species extinction.

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Sustainable Yield

• Definition The highest rate at which a renewable
  resource can be used indefinitely without
  reducing its available supply.
• We are overshooting our biocapaity (natures
  renewable and regenerative capacity.) This means
  that our natural renewable resources are consumed
  faster than they are produced or renewed.

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Overshoot

• It takes 1 year and 2 months for the Earth to
  regenerate what we use in 1 year. We are
  overshooting by 2 months.
• Knowing the overshoot can help us manage our
  ecological assests.
• Serious depletions
• Fisheries
• Fossil Fuels

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Solutions - Reducing Your Individual Ecological
Footprint

• Eat less meat - Crop based diets require less
  land, energy, and other resources.
• Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.
• Avoid disposable items with a lot of packaging.
• Compost kitchen waste.
• Plant native and drought-tolerant plants.
• Be a conscientious consumer.
• Share magazines and catelogs
• Reuse and recycle packing material.
• Shop for local food.

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Solutions Continued...

• But, will it make any difference?
• As we make attempts to decrease our ecological
  footprint, others are increasing theirs.