1. Carrying Capacity & Ecological Footprint
Human Population
Carrying Capacity & Ecological Footprint

2. Outline Population curves Earth’s carrying capacity
Ecological footprint

3. Expectations
Students are expected to understand the factors which can affect the carrying capacity.
Students are expected to understand the definition of ecological footprint.

4. How many populations are there in the world?

5. Individual Thinking
Read the two population growth curves individually and think the two questions as follows:
Which curve represents the exponential population growth?
Which curve represents the logistic population growth?
What does the dash line in the S-curve represent?

6. Group Discussion Carrying Capacity
Which factors will affect a region’s carrying capacity?

7. Ecological Conditions
Activity
Work in your table, compare carrying capacities in three different regions.
Rank each region from 1 to 3 based on each factor.
Calculate a total rank number for each region by adding up rank numbers from four factors.
Compare total rank numbers. The lower the number is, the higher the carrying capacity will be.
Food Availability
Water
Ecological Conditions
Space
Total Rank Number
Charlottetown
Rainforests
Desert
Factors
Region

8. Ecological Footprint

9. Definition & Factors of Ecological Footprint
It measures the supply and demand of goods and services for an entire planet, presented in hectares or city block unit
The estimate for Food, Shelter, Mobility, and Goods and Services needs of a person in a particular region
The carbon footprint represents the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission to the environment throughout a particular period of time by a person or an organization, presented in Tonnes unit
The carbon Footprint is the rapidly-growing component of humanity’s overall Ecological Footprint. It is 54% of overall Ecological Footprint

10. Definition & Factors of Ecological Footprint

11. Definition & Factors of Ecological Footprint
Food (meat, vegetarian, cooking, wasting, local or imported)
Travel (transportation vehicle, type of fuel, travel time)
Buildings (type of building, # of rooms and occupants, water usage habit, heating system, efficient appliances)
Stuff (furniture and electronics, clothing, pets, health and beauty, recycling)

12. Activity

13. Debrief
What will you do to reduce the footprint from a perspective of global citizenship?

14. Questions?

15. References