Each
organism uses resources from the ecosystem to exist. We express this essential requirement
as an area of the planet that annually supplies these requirements each year and define
this as the organism's ecological footprint. For humans, we can record the consumption
data and convert it into an area that supplies these ecosystem resources that are annually
appropriated by each person. This is an example of a "systems analysis" that is
very helpful for us to understand the connections between our behavior and our dependency
on the ecosystem. Our ecological footprint helps appreciate what we get for free from
ecosystem services.
In this class the Ecological Footprint is derived from household consumption, and
expressed for an average per person. The analysis used is simplified to allow more
convenient transformation of data ordinarily available to each of us into the resource
base. You are encouraged to examine the analysis carefully, and identify as best you can
how each activity draws from particular kinds of natural resources. Then, begin to manage
the size and composition of your ecological footprint by modifying your actions. This is
Natural Resource Management at the basic level for which you have considerable control.
You may download a Microsoft Excel file that allows you to insert monthly totals for
calculating your ecological footprint. It is expressed as an area you would require if you
lived in an equivalent way all year to the way this month is lived. |