2. Ecological Footprint Key 1.A measure of how much area of biologically productive land and water an individual, population or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it generates, using prevailing technology and resource management practices. Measured in global hectares. 2.The ‘footprint” for the world is increasing while it’s biocapacity is decreasing since the early 70’s. In the early 70’s both the world’s biocapacity and footprint were equal. 3.Scenario 1: moderate growth to 2050 where the uses are equivalent to almost 3 planets to provide the resources. Scenario 2: Rapid reduction where uses are equivalent to one planet. 4.Ecological overshoot is when we are turning resources into waste faster than waste can be turned back into resources. Examples are collapse in fisheries and depletion of water and forest systems. Also contributes to wars and conflict.

3. 5.Since the point at which biocapacity and footprint are not shown on the graph, one has to extrapolate and estimate. It is my estimation that the point is somewhere in the 40’s. See graph slide. 6.From the graph you can see that biocapacity was decreasing and the footprint was increasing both before and after the equal point. 7.The three major factors that account for an individuals footprint are how much land and water area a human population uses to provide all it takes from nature. This includes the (1) areas for producing the resource it consumes, the (2) space for accommodating its buildings and roads, and (3) the ecosystems for absorbing its waste emissions such as carbon dioxide. 8. The US ecological footprint for the following years: 1961=6.8 ha; 1973=9.0 ha; 1985=7.7 ha; 2001=8 ha; 2005=8.5 ha

4. Extrapolate to where you think they crossed: ~mid 40’s

5. 9.The biocapacity is slowly decreasing whereas the footprint has varied somewhat through time but has an overall increasing trend. 10.Since the point at which biocapacity and footprint are not shown on the graph, one has to extrapolate and estimate. It is my estimation of Japan’s point is somewhere in the 20’s. (I noticed that they asked when will?) 11.In 2005 a individuals footprint in Japan is approx. 4.3 ha whereas in the US for that same time, the footprint is approx. 8.5 ha. 12.Chile’s biocapacity is higher than it’s footprint but may be equal in the near future. 13. Chile’s long-term sustainability compared to the US or Japan is positive. 14.Chile’s estimated footprint from 1961 to 2009 is approx. 2 ha.

6. I estimated the footprint by drawing a best-fit line

7. 15.The carbon Footprint is 54 percent of humanity’s overall Ecological footprint. 16.The carbon component of the Ecological Footprint takes a slightly differing approach, translating the amount of carbon dioxide into the amount of productive land and sea area required to sequester carbon dioxide emissions. 17.Climate change, deforestation, overgrazing, fisheries collapse, food insecurity and the rapid extinction of species are all part of a single, over-arching problem: Humanity is simply demanding more from the Earth than in can provide.... Tragedy of the Commons.