measuring sustainable consumption: the ecological footprint martha rosemeyer introduction to...
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Measuring sustainable consumption: the Ecological Footprint
Martha RosemeyerIntroduction to Environmental StudiesOctober 7, 2002
General Concept of sustainability
“Satisfying the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of future generations.” Bruntland Commission 1987
So broad that it is devoid of operational significance
How do we know that progress is being made toward sustainability?
Indicator of sustainability
We want to measure the ability to consume sustainably in a number of different categories food shelter transport goods and services
Question becomes how to aggregate these measurements
Characteristics of an indicator of sustainability
Relatively easy to measureCould be repeatedSensitiveCorrespond to level of aggregation
that is appropriateDeveloped in a participatory manner
Concept of Ecological FootprintThe quantity of bioproductive land that is required to support current consumption
food, housing, transport, consumer goods, services
Includes land needed for absorption of waste
Assumptions
Resources consumed and waste are measured, and data accessible
Consumption and waste can be related to land area
US Ecological Footprint- new
Note: new fishing numbers
Total
.7 5.4
0 5.2
0 4.3
0 5.8
0 2.8
.7 23.5
Consumption in over 60 categories Add imports and subtract exportsResource use and waste emissions
are expressed in land area required -- one unit
Ecological footprints of nations
US 24 acresGermany 12 acresChina 3.9 acresIndia 1.9 acres
Energy land
Land neededto absorb CO2
2.47 acre/1 ha
acre = football field
Forest use
Transport
Transport
How can the ecological footprint be used?
Global scaleNational levelMunicipalities, e.g. Thurston Co.Individual items: tomatoes grown in
greenhouse vs. in the fieldHousehold/personal scale
Overshoot
Growth beyondcarrying capacityorwhen demand exceeds ecological supply
Humanity’s Ecological Footprint- 20-30% larger than is sustainable
Only 1.9 ha or 4.7 acres of biologically productive space per person on Earth
World average is 2.3 ha or 5.6 acres
Recognition
Proceedingsof the National Academy of Sciences, July 2002Concludes thatsince 1980s haveexceeded regenerativecapacity of biosphere
1999- 20% overshoot
National EF with capacity anddeficit
CanadianE F
Impact of 5categories on
energy, degradation garden crop pasture forest
Local E F
Lower Fraser RiverValley BC
Comparingsystems
Greenhousevs.field grown(10x greater)
Personal
Calculation ofindividual ecological footprint
Opportunity for personal reflection
Assignment due this Wednesday, October 9
Ecological Footprint of Thurston County
Dr. Paula Swedeen from Sustainable Community Roundtable will be with us Wednesday.
“According to new calculations that more accurately account for CO2 emissions, Thurston County's “ecological footprint” is even bigger than reported in our 1997 Indicator Update. At 10.3 hectares (25.4 acres) per capita, sustaining our current population requires a land area ten times the size of Thurston County. At projected growth rates, we'll require one and a half times that amount of land to maintain our current quality of life — unless many more of us redefine what “quality of life” means, adopt an ethic of “voluntary simplicity,” and radically reduce our consumption.”