1. Sustainability Definition: approach to development that meets the needs of the present without negatively affecting the ability of future generations to meet their needs Sustainability is connected to all forms of industry, resource extraction, agriculture, energy production and urban expansion. If all industries where sustainable the scenario would look like this: For every tree that was cut down, one would be planted and helped to reach maturity For every fish that was take from the ocean one new one would be given time to reach maturity, mate and reproduce All agriculture would be performed in such a way that it could continue producing food at that rate forever with no harm to the environment

2. Carrying Capacity Definition: The maximum amount of people a given resource or group of resources can support without depleting or degrading the supply. The absolute carrying capacity of the Earth has changed significantly over time: First during the agricultural revolution (when humans started growing crops and raising livestock ) Second during the industrial revolution (products where made faster and more efficiently and technology began to increase significantly in all areas) What things are still improving that might raise the earth ’ s carrying capacity? Improvements in health care Agriculture (genetic engineering) Renewable energy What Happens When we EXCEED our Carrying Capacity?

3. Carrying Capacity If Carrying Capacity is exceeded then the use/consumption of resources is NOT sustainable Overshoot refers to the point where more resources are being consumed than are available This cannot be sustained forever and will eventually lead to a drastic crash in the ultimate level of the carrying capacity

4. Carrying Capacity So what is the solution? Technical Solution: Some people believe that solutions to environmental problems through technology will continue to increase our carrying capacity to meet the needs of a growing population. Often these solutions occur quickly and unpredictably. The industrial revolution started with the development of steam technology that revolutionized the world Behavioral Solution: In order to find a behavioral solution we have to as individuals and as a society recognize that we are currently in an “ ecological overshoot ” A behavioral solution involves changing the way we live our lives and use up energy and resources. Decreasing the amount of energy and resources needed by every person on the planet will decrease the load on the environment and therefore make consumptions levels less than the carrying capacity returning life on earth to sustainability

5. Ecological Footprint Definition: "The Ecological Footprint is a measure of the 'load' imposed by a given population on nature. It represents the land area necessary to sustain current levels of resource consumption and waste discharge by that population.” What is your “ Fair Share ” ? The Earth has a limited area of ecoproductive land; or land generating resources that are useful to humans. If the Earth's ecoproductive land was equally divided among all humans, there would be 2.2 hectares. This is called a "fair Earth share". The average person alive today has an Ecological Footprint of 2.4 hectares according to conservative estimates. This means that we need more than one Earth to continue to support the consumption level of everyone alive today. CARRYING CAPACITY EXCEEDED! Fair Earth Share : 2.2 hectares /person World Footprint : 2.4 hectares /person US Footprint : 8.4 hectares/person Canada EF : 7.0 hectares/person