Ecological Footprint Activity Name__________________________________ PLEASE ANSWER IN RED
1. Go to this website: https://www.footprintnetwork.org
2. Define ecological footprint in your own words. What does it actually measure?
3. Go to calculate your Footprint and take the ecological footprint quiz for yourself. Enter as a new user, create your avatar and always enter the more detailed information. If you are asked a question that refers to units of measure, you can choose your answer by looking at the words on the sliding scale (far or not far, a lot or a little, for example).
4. Record your ecological footprint.
a. How many planet Earth’s would be required if everyone lived like you? _______ Click see details
b. Break down your ecological footprint: ____% Food ____% Shelter ____% Mobility ____% Goods ____% Services
c. How many global hectares of the Earth’s productive area do you require? _______
d. How many tons of carbon dioxide do you generate? ________ The Earth can absorb some of our carbon dioxide, but not at the rate we are producing it now. So, the fewer tons you personally produce, the better.
e. Can you reduce your ecological footprint? How? 5. Do you think there should be laws governing how large a country’s or individuals ecological footprint? Explain.
6. Are there other ways to convince people to reduce their ecological footprint? Explain. According to the Footprint Network, “Earth Overshoot Day marks an unfortunate milestone: the day in which we exhaust our ecological budget for the year. Once we pass this day [each year], humanity will have demanded all the ecological services – from filtering CO2 to producing the raw materials for food – that nature can provide this year. From that point until the end of the year, we meet our ecological demand by liquidating resource stocks and accumulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” The Earth first experienced overshoot on December 19, 1987. In 2015 overshoot day occurred on August 13.
7. When is overshoot that for you?
8. Sustainability is an important concept in Environmental Science. It means that resources are not being used up faster than they can be replenished, and that wastes are not being produced faster than they can be processed by the earth.
a. Are Americans living a sustainable lifestyle?
b. Are YOU living a sustainable lifestyle?
c. How will this affect future Americans? Explain.