The Ecological Footprint is the only standard of measuring how much nature humans have — and how much nature humans use.
Ecological Footprint measures the amount of water and land needed for all of humanity to use in order to produce the goods we consume and absorb the waste we create with today’s technology. It is also the metric to calculate the amount of human pressure on planet Earth.
Every human being has an Ecological Footprint.
Ecological Footprint of Humans
Human beings are the most successful species on planet Earth. However, we’re using far more resources than Earth can provide for us.
It’s vital everyone work together to try and help us live good and healthy lives while existing within the “means of one planet.”
Humans need what nature is capable of providing for us. Unfortunately, most of us don’t know how much natural resources we’re using. For that matter, we hardly know how much resources we have to use.
Ever since the 1970s, humans have overshot the yearly demand on resources. What that means is we have exceeded what the Earth is capable of replenishing each year.
It presently takes one year and six months to regenerate the amount of natural resources humans use in the course of a year.
The Ecological Footprint measures how fast humans create waste and consume resources — like, timber, paper, fish, and energy. The latest facts are if everyone lived the lifestyle of an average American we would need five planets. Individual consumption is slightly higher than the amount of land and resources available to sustain human life.
On a global level, the average person’s ecological footprint on earth in 2005 was 2.7 global hectares per person of land, whereas there was 2.1 global hectares accessible to each person.
Humans won’t be able to continue this pattern of living — especially if exponential population growth is considered. Continued overuse of natural resources will result in human starvation and disease, barren land, poor air quality — a global economic disaster leading to public uprisings, and ultimately the demise of the human species and many other life forms and species.
How Big is Your Ecological Footprint?
How much land does it require to maintain your lifestyle? You can take a short quiz to find out your Ecological Footprint — you’ll be surprised what you’ll find out.
The following is a link to the Ecological Footprint Calculator. The results of your quiz will show approximately how much resources you consume; how you might lessen your impression.
Your footprint impression is determined by the choices you make; whether you recycle, purchase local products, how much you drive — things of that nature. The quiz is actually fun to take, it’s free and informative.
Ultimately, our main goal is to reduce our Ecological Footprint. We’re running out of time…
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