Global Eco-footprintGlobal Eco-footprint

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

A footprint means pressing down, and A footprint means pressing down, and global means the world so ‘global global means the world so ‘global footprint’ means pressing down on footprint’ means pressing down on the world and we don’t want to press the world and we don’t want to press too hard.too hard.

One pupil’s definition of Eco-One pupil’s definition of Eco-footprint.footprint.

Global Eco-footprintGlobal Eco-footprint

What is Eco-footprint?What is Eco-footprint?

Why do we need Eco-Why do we need Eco-footprint? footprint?

How can you work out How can you work out Eco-footprint?Eco-footprint?

Where can it be used?Where can it be used?

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• The Eco-footprint The Eco-footprint calculates the area calculates the area of land and sea of land and sea required, per required, per person for person for everything they everything they consume (use) and consume (use) and produce (waste).produce (waste).

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.Composition of Eco-footprint

Food

Infrastucture

Energy

Waste

Transport

Household

24%

18%18%

16%

14%

11%

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• Eco-footprint can be calculated by taking Eco-footprint can be calculated by taking the amount of resources that are the amount of resources that are available and dividing that figure by the available and dividing that figure by the total population of the earth.total population of the earth.

• This gives us the global ‘earthshare’ This gives us the global ‘earthshare’ figure. (gha)figure. (gha)

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• A footprint is shown A footprint is shown as global hectares as global hectares (gha) of earthshare.(gha) of earthshare.

• Currently we need Currently we need only only 1.89 1.89 gha per gha per person.person.

• This is basically This is basically how much natural how much natural resources there are resources there are to go around.to go around.

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• Footprints have been worked out for Footprints have been worked out for several countries.several countries.

• An average USA citizen has a footprint An average USA citizen has a footprint of 9.5 gha (huge!!!)of 9.5 gha (huge!!!)

• An average Indian citizen has a An average Indian citizen has a footprint of 0.8 gha (tiny!!)footprint of 0.8 gha (tiny!!)

• The average UK citizen has a footprint The average UK citizen has a footprint of 5.35gha.of 5.35gha.

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• The graph to the The graph to the right shows the right shows the ‘footprint’ of ‘footprint’ of USA,Cardiff,Japan,USA,Cardiff,Japan,

China,Italy and the China,Italy and the World.Can World.Can youyou work out which one work out which one is which?is which?

Footprint of various places in the World.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Countries

Gha

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• This graph shows This graph shows that we are steadily that we are steadily using more and using more and more natural more natural resources.resources.

• Soon these Soon these resources will run resources will run out!!out!!

• How can we slow How can we slow down our use of down our use of resources?resources?

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

Year

# of

Ear

ths

used

# of Earths available,representing the totalcapacity of the biosphere

# of Earths used by humanity

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• We can all work out We can all work out our Eco-footprint by our Eco-footprint by answering a few answering a few simple questions simple questions on our lifestyle.on our lifestyle.

• You then use a You then use a Footprint calculatorFootprint calculator to work out how big to work out how big yours is!!yours is!!

Global Eco-footprint.Global Eco-footprint.

• Individuals can do it!Individuals can do it!

• Small groups can do Small groups can do it!it!

• Towns and cities can Towns and cities can do it!do it!

• Countries can do it!Countries can do it!

WE CAN ALL WORK WE CAN ALL WORK OUT OUR FOOTPRINTOUT OUR FOOTPRINT

Global Eco-footprintGlobal Eco-footprint..

• We should ALL work We should ALL work towards reducing the towards reducing the size of our own size of our own footprint so that it has footprint so that it has a smaller impact on a smaller impact on the global footprint.the global footprint.

• Think of ways in which Think of ways in which you could help to you could help to reduce your footprint.reduce your footprint.