Lab Final: Ecological Footprint

Which 2 countries have the highest per capita footprints of any region?

- Western Europe and U.S. have the highest per capita footprints - U.S. had largest ecological footprint (9.57 hectares or 23.6 acres per person)

Give 5 Examples of ecosystem services?

-Estimated economic value of 17 ecosystem services for 16 biomes - Determined the estimated value for the entire biosphere to be an average of $33 trillion/year - Soil formation (17.1 trillion) -Recreation (3 Trillion) - Nutrient cycling (2.3 trillion) -Water regulation and supply (2.3 trillion) Climate Regulation (temp and rain= 1.8 tril)

When is an ecological footprint sustainable? When did we breach the sustainability mark?

-Sustainability requires living within the planet's regenerative capacity (living within means!! Not taking too much) -When our footprint is within the annual regenerative capability of nature, humanities footprint is sustainable -Unfortunately, we have breached the sustainability mark in the early 1970s

• TCU has made changes in what areas to increase sustainability? (There are 5)

o Energy conservation • Retrofitting of lighting systems • Automatic temperatures • Energy Management and Control System (EMCS) o Water Conservation • Upgrading sprinklers • Hot water o Design and Construction o Food services o Recycling and waste reduction o Transportation • Free public transit (free passes for the train) • TCU purple bike program • TCU shuttle buses

What does an ecological footprint measure?

o Is a tool for measuring and analyzing human natural resource consumption and waste output within the context of nature's renewable and regenerative capacity (or biocapacity) o It represents a quantitative assessment of the biologically productive area (the amount of nature) required to produce the resources (food, energy, and materials) and to absorb the wastes of an individual, city, region or country. Footprints are not BAD or GOOD per se. o Does not include all of humanities impacts on the environment (EX: toxins and extinctions)

What is Biocapacity?

o Is the renewable and regenerative capacity of the earth o Measured in Hectares

How can you reduce your ecological footprint?

o Transportation (Bike, walk, public transit) o Adopt energy saving habits (lights, thermostat, electronics) o Water saving habits (shorter showers, dishwasher/laundry only when needed) o Food (eat more local, organic, in-season foods, plant a garden)