CGS NS 202 Study Guide - Final Guide: Ecological Footprint, Biocapacity, Global Hectare
16 May 2018
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b) Discuss the concepts of the ecological footprint, biocapacity,
sustainability, and sustainable development. Include a brief summary of, and
history of, the concept of the ecological footprint and how it is calculated.
What is the range of ecological footprints around the globe? What are some of
the criticisms of the concept of the ecological footprint? Is it a useful
concept, or is it misleading? Justify your answer.
The concept of the ecological footprint is something that is designed to interpret
how our use of natural resources and environmental factors creates an impact on our earth
and its supplies. The footprint idea stems from the idea of a real footprint in the snow or
sand. The picture imitates how our every movements can be tracked and how each time we
take a step, we leave behind an impression on our Earth. The same thought process can be
applied to how we use resources on Earth and how much we can try to limit our footprint
as to not make a detrimental impact on the Earth. Biocapacity refers to the capacity of a
given biologically productive area to generate an ongoing supply of renewable resources
and to absorb its spillover wastes. We as humans need to acknowledge biocapacity in order
to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We can use methods of sustainability to limit our ecological
footprint so we do not go over the biocapacity of our environment. Sustainability is the
ability to avoid the depletion of natural resources to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
The first publications of the ecological footprint came about in the early 9’s,
however the idea of minimizing our ecological footprint has been around for centuries.
Today, we calculate our ecological footprint is calculated by considering all of the biological
materials consumed, and all of the biological wastes generated, by that person in a given
year. These materials and wastes each demand ecologically productive areas, such as
cropland to grow potatoes, or forest to sequester fossil carbon dioxide emissions. All of
these materials and wastes are then individually translated into an equivalent number of
global hectares. Our ecological footprint has a global reach. By minimizing our own waste,
we can save wildlife all over the world.
The arguments against the ecological footprint point out that a lot of the generalized
calculations and claims of .5 earths may seem legitimate, but that calculation does not
include the specific saturation or productivity levels of the soil and land. The calculation
simply covers the total area of the land and assumes that all the land is the same fertility
level. Most people imagine that the footprint analysis had some handle on how we are
overusing our soils and water reserves. Sadly, it does not measure the things that most of
us assumed it does – and the things we really need to know. This is some of the critics on
the ecological footprint.
Overall, I think it is a useful concept. The idea of being able to quantify our impact on
the Earth. Although it may not be completely accurate, it can serve as a general argument
that we as a species are abusing our resources and the Earth cannot handle the rapidly
growing population as long as the usage of materials and natural resources continues to
rise. Ecological footprint data should continue to be used to educate the population in
hopes of returning to a more stable level of consumption.
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Document Summary
Discuss the concepts of the ecological footprint, biocapacity, sustainability, and sustainable development. Include a brief summary of, and history of, the concept of the ecological footprint and how it is calculated. The concept of the ecological footprint is something that is designed to interpret how our use of natural resources and environmental factors creates an impact on our earth and its supplies. The footprint idea stems from the idea of a real footprint in the snow or sand. The picture imitates how our every movements can be tracked and how each time we take a step, we leave behind an impression on our earth. The same thought process can be applied to how we use resources on earth and how much we can try to limit our footprint as to not make a detrimental impact on the earth.
