1. Human Systems and Resource Use
8.4

2. Human Carrying Capacity
It is difficult to determine human carrying capacity
Humans have a greater range of resources at their disposal
Resources can be substituted if they run out
Resource use varies from each individual
We can import resources
Tehcnology can change the resources we use

3. Ways to Change Human Carrying Capacity
Ecocentrists
Technocentrists
Try to reduce use of non-renewable resources
Minimize use of renewable resources
Become more self sufficient
Argue carrying capacity can be expanded through technology and development
Must work on being more efficient and inventive

4. Reuse, Recycling, Remanufacturing and Absolute Reductions
Reuse: the object more than once
Recycling: the object’s material is used again to make new products
Remanufacturing: the object’s material is used to make a new object of the same type
Absolute reductions: simply put, use fewer resources

5. Ecological Footprints
Ecological Footprint (EF): the area of land and water required to support a defined human population at a given standard of living
When the EF is greater than the area available to the population, it is considered unsustainable
Carrying capacity of population is being exceeded

6. Ecological Footprints

8. Pg. 396 In Class Activity Think about the lifestyles, diet, transport, industry, agricultural practices of the people
Reasons for high EF
Reasons for low EF

9. Humanity's demand for resources is now outstripping supply by about 25%, as the growth of our ecological footprint shows. Meanwhile the health of the planet's ecosystems, measured by the living planet index, is falling, at "a rate unprecedented in human history," according to the WWF.

12. UK
USA
Graphs track the per-person resource demand (Ecological Footprint) and resource supply (Biocapacity). Biocapacity varies each year with ecosystem management, agricultural practices (such as fertilizer use and irrigation), ecosystem degradation, and weather
CHINA

13. GERMANY
NETHERLANDS
NIGERIA
SPAIN

14. NEW ZEALAND
FINLAND
LAOS