Ecological Footprints and Environmental Sustainability CGC1D

What is an ecological footprint?

Ecological Footprints are… a measure of human impact on the Earth. The footprint equals the Earth’s cost to sustain one person. It’s measured in hectares and represents the land area needed to provide resources and absorb waste and greenhouse gases produced by an individual.

What are the numbers? World Average – 2.2 hectares Biggest Footprint – United States – 9.6 hectares Smallest Footprint – Bangladesh – 0.5 hectares Average Canadian Footprint – 8.6 hectares Canada has the 3rd highest footprint in the world! Why is Canada’s average footprint so big?

What do we “need”? We require ….. 0.2 hectares of land for water (to drink & provide seafood) hectares of land for home and roads and factories that make the material things we grave 1.6 hectares of land for farmland to grow the food we eat 0.3 hectares of land for grazing land for meat and dairy 1.4 hectares of land for timber wood and paper products 4.7 hectares of land needed to absorb the greenhouse gases produced by driving around town, through the running of air conditioners and the import of exotic goods and foods = 8.6 hectares

Ecological Impact of Nations The map on the following slide shows various countries and regions of the world proportionate to their production and consumption of commercially traded fuels. All figures are in million metric tons of oil equivalent.

Ecological Impact of Nations

Ecological Impact of Nations

How Much Land do we Have?

Defining Environment & Sustainability Stewardship refers to the responsibility we all have to the environment and resources that has been left to us by our ancestors. We are all stewards to our planet. Sustainability refers to the ability to develop in order to meet the needs of the present without negatively affecting the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Defining Environment & Sustainability If we are not all following our role as stewards in the global village, then we will not have a sustainable environment for our future children. “We do not inherit the earth from our grandparents, we borrow it from our children.” We must all do our part to keep our consumption of resources to a minimum, and to keep the environment around us clean. Are you doing your part?

How a Greenhouse Works The rays become weaker once they bounce off something, so they are not all able to pierce back through the glass… the temperature inside rises. The sun’s rays are strong enough to pierce through the glass of the greenhouse.

The Greenhouse Effect - Now Some rays are strong enough to escape back into space Atmosphere Some rays are held in by the atmosphere Sun’s rays

The Greenhouse Effect - Now A thickened atmosphere, caused by pollution More rays are held in, warming up the Earth Sun’s rays

Defining Environment & Sustainability Climate Change is a major shift in the overall temperature levels of the Earth (up or down). Global Warming is the rising of the average temperature of Earth. The Greenhouse Effect is the trapping of heat by the Earth’s thickened atmosphere. This is caused by pollution.

Who Will Speak for the Trees?

Bill Nye The Science Guy - Pollution Solutions (Full Episode) (23:01): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVmmpGeR6nk Man - evolution and pollution ....- Emaroketing.com (3:35mins): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPtKOrwf1h0 Plastic Planet (6:26mins): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73sGgmZoMBQ Pollution is a Global Killer (3:29mins): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAbOVeKYgjU