The ecological footprint is the environmental impact that humans produce on Nature. Although all living things on the planet need nutrients, energy and water to live, the term is used to indicate the amount of resources that humans use in a variable way.
It varies depending on the lifestyle of each person, and we also find very different ecological footprints depending on the community or organization in question. Basically, it measures the amount of bioproductive land (that which can produce food) necessary to, on the one hand, produce the goods and services we consume and, on the other, absorb the waste generated.
In short, it is about calculating the area of land necessary to live sustainably by satisfying those needs or goods and services, and the absorption of waste. This area is what we call the ecological footprint. Thanks to this tool we can know if the planet can give us what we need, at a certain rate of use of resources. If, in short, there is enough soil and bioproductive marine areas so that the resources that the world population is using can continue to be used in the future as well.
Otherwise, sustainability will be compromised. In fact, natural resources are finite, making it necessary to control that ecological footprint if we want to have a tomorrow on the face of the Earth. Keep reading this article by Ecologist Verde if you are interested in learning more about the ecological footprint, an indicator of sustainability.
Is it synonymous with carbon footprint?
The ecological footprint is an environmental indicator related to the waste of human resources, while the carbon footprint measures the production of greenhouse gases that human-produced activities generate.
While the first allows measure the impact of a certain human behavior On the planet's ability to renew the natural resources we need to live and then evaluate it, the carbon footprint is used to determine the contribution of greenhouse gases, calculated in tons of carbon dioxide.
What is the purpose of calculating the ecological footprint?
As we have mentioned, calculate the ecological footprint It helps us to know the pressure we are exerting on the planet or on a specific environment. It is not an exact measure, it is something known, but it is very useful to take measures and correct waste at different levels.
The main objective of the ecological footprint is to be practical to know the degree of sustainability of the planet's resources before a certain decision or specific way of acting.
However, the calculation of the ecological footprint is complex, since factors intervene that cannot always be quantified, with which the concept is sometimes problematic and has been criticized. Among other reasons, because there are some impacts that are not reflected in the calculation.
Still like sustainability indicator This is useful if the goal is to gradually reduce it. However, if what it is about is to carry out measurements without being accompanied by measures aimed at sustainability, in the long term the results can be much more damaging to the environment than the ecological footprint warns.
From a global perspective, it performs an important task of raising awareness, helping us to understand the waste of resources to which we subject the planet. WWF's "Living Planet Report 2000" reminded us that the Earth has about 126 million square kilometers of bioproductive area.
The set of all of them, 25 percent of the total surface, represents the biocapacity of the planet. That is to say, the vast majority, another 75 percent of the Earth are areas of little or no bioproductivity, among other deserts, oceans at abyssal distances or high mountains. In other words, we only have one way out and that is to conserve the bioproductivity of the space that still is.
Otherwise, we are inevitably approaching the natural limits of the Earth's biocapacity. And decreasing bioproductivity means having more and more difficulties in meeting the needs of humanity.
As for us as individuals, if we ask ourselves what we can do for the environment, perhaps it is time to calculate our ecological footprint. It is, as the title of the article indicates, a sustainability indicator that is indicative when considering improvements and monitoring the result.
How the ecological footprint is reduced
Personally, reduce the ecological footprint It means changing our way of life in some ways. They are not drastic transformations or, at least, they may not be if we simply want to reduce it in some aspects, ideally those that contribute the most.
When it comes to reducing it, we will be able to make a difference eating less meat, especially red meat, which we can substitute for poultry, fish or vegetables rich in protein.
The local consumption, use low-consumption light bulbs, do not abuse the heating, shower instead of bathing, avoid excessive consumption of electricity or, for example, bet on the sustainable transport They are another way to reduce the ecological footprint and, incidentally, also the carbon footprint.
More ideas: avoid taking the plane if it is not necessary, drying clothes in the open air instead of using the dryer, not throwing food, avoiding packaging or, for example, filling the washing machine to the maximum and choosing the lowest possible temperature.
Although all progress is an exceeded objective, the final goal of each person or community should be a neutral ecological footprint. In this way, the resources that are used can be replenished and, therefore, only then can we speak of sustainability. A responsibility of each and every one of us.
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