Ecological Footprint Activity
Introduction
In this assignment you will use online resources to become more familiar with the concept of the Ecological Footprint. You will be asked to calculate your Footprint, make comparisons between the United States and other countries, and discuss why this information matters when it comes to sustainability, policy, and how we live in the future.
Download this document to complete the activity and u/submit/upload this completed assignment as a doc or docx file into the Unit 3 assignment drop box.
Procedure
1. Go to this website: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/
2. Under Footprint Basics, read Introduction and Overview. Then define ecological footprint in your own words. What does it actually measure?
3. How are ecological footprint and biocapacity different?
4. What is meant by an ecological deficit? An ecological reserve?
5. Under Footprint Basics, go to Personal Footprint and take the ecological footprint quiz for yourself. Select US as your location.
Enter as a new user, create your avatar and always enter the more detailed information.
6. Record your ecological footprint.
a. How many planet Earth’s would be required if everyone lived like you? _______
b. Break down your ecological footprint: (scroll over the pie graph)
____% Food ____% Shelter ____% Mobility ____% Goods ____% Services
c. How many global acres of the Earth’s productive area do you require? _______
d. Put the following in order from most land used to least land used: energy land, crop land, grazing land, forest land, built up land, fishing grounds
e. How many tons of carbon dioxide do you generate? ________ (listed under your global acres) The Earth can absorb some of our carbon dioxide (do you know how?), but not at the rate we are producing it now. So, the fewer tons you personally produce, the better.
Reflection Questions:
1. Think about the fairness of world land use. The U.S. has an ecological footprint of 23.7 acres per person while the 35 low-income countries average 2.0 acres per person.
a. Why do you think the average ecological footprint is so much higher in the U.S. than developing countries? Explain.
b. Do you think there should be laws governing how large a country’s or individual’s ecological footprint? Explain.
2. Sustainability is an important concept in Environmental Science. It means that resources are not being used up faster than they can be replenished, and that waste is not being produced faster than it can be processed by the earth.
a. Provide three example of how Americans are living a sustainable lifestyle?
b. List 3-5 ways how YOU are living a sustainable lifestyle?
c. How will this affect future Americans? How will this affect the world? Explain using at least one paragraph.
