| measuring_trends_in_consumption-ecological-footprint.pptx |
Subject Guide
Measuring trends in resource consumption, including individual, national and global ecological footprints
Task 1: Definitions -
Find the definitions for the following important terms:
1. Biocapacity
2. Ecological Footprint
3. Carbon Footprint
4. Ecological Creditor
5. Ecological Debtor
6. Global Hectare
Measuring trends in resource consumption, including individual, national and global ecological footprints
Task 1: Definitions -
Find the definitions for the following important terms:
1. Biocapacity
2. Ecological Footprint
3. Carbon Footprint
4. Ecological Creditor
5. Ecological Debtor
6. Global Hectare
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Task 2: Measuring your own Ecological footprint
Take the Footprint calculator test to work out your individualimpact on the planet. Where you have the option to 'add more detail', please do so. Take a note of your score as well as a screen shot of your further details and your overshoot day.
How did you do? What features caused your footprint to be bigger or smaller than your peers in the class? Who reaches the overshoot threshold the quickest??
Task 3: Comparing the ecological footprints of countries
The Open Data section of the Ecological Footprint website (click on the link below) allows us to investigate global patterns of ecological footprints on a national scale.
Use the website to compare a range of countries. You should include: Indonesia, Niger, China, USA, Kiribati, the "home" countries of everyone in the room plus one or two other countries of your choice. Examine the patterns. Compare Ecological Footprint total with Ecological Footprint per person - why the contrasts?
Now look at ALL countries:
- Which countries have the highest ecological footprints per person? Why?
- Which countries have the lowest? Why?
- What about ecological footprint per person?
Student Task
Produce a poster or presentation that EVALUATES the ecological footprint of a named MEDC and a named LEDC. Focus on the typical lifestyle of someone from each country. You need to understand why the EFs are different. And remember the definition of an ecological footprint that represents the amount of land required to provide the resources and assimilate all the waste. Having just studied SDW, you can see how a zero waste policy would reduce the ecological footprint of a society.
The Global Footprint Network (above) is an excellent resource. World Bank Data is useful too.
You might want to research the Human Development Index and Gapminder Data is a good place for research.
Produce a poster or presentation that EVALUATES the ecological footprint of a named MEDC and a named LEDC. Focus on the typical lifestyle of someone from each country. You need to understand why the EFs are different. And remember the definition of an ecological footprint that represents the amount of land required to provide the resources and assimilate all the waste. Having just studied SDW, you can see how a zero waste policy would reduce the ecological footprint of a society.
The Global Footprint Network (above) is an excellent resource. World Bank Data is useful too.
You might want to research the Human Development Index and Gapminder Data is a good place for research.
- What is the biocapacity of the country
- What is the human development index of the country?
- Diet - focus on meat consumption per capita
- Health - what are the main population demographic indicators for CBR, CDR, life expectancy, infant mortality, access to health care.
- Electricity production - how is electricity generated - what are the per capita emissions of Carbon dioxide (or equivalent)
- Poverty - what percentage of people live in extreme poverty.
- Infrastructure - what are the conditions of the road and rail links - can people move around easily?
- Packaging - what is the typical state of packaging around goods? Are plastic bags allowed?
- Recycling - how much SDW is recycled?
- Waste production and processing - Are there policies to reduce waste?
- Carbon footprint - what is the average carbon footprint of a person - why is it high or low?
- Percentage urbanisation
- Timber production and use - what percentage of the country is forested and are their sustainable forestry practices in place?
- Amount of land used for agriculture - what is the per capita agricultural land - how is the land farmed? Is the soil looked after?
- To what extent is the country sustainable?
Exam practice
To what extent is a future global increase in ecological footprint inevitable due to a rapid growth of the Middle Class? (5)
Tip: Try to use as many of the key terms covered in Task 1 at some point during your answer.
To what extent is a future global increase in ecological footprint inevitable due to a rapid growth of the Middle Class? (5)
Tip: Try to use as many of the key terms covered in Task 1 at some point during your answer.