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World Development

 

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Ecological footprints
     

  • 'How shall we learn to tread more lightly on the face of the Earth? One sound answer is to calculate our "ecological footprint", being the impact that each and every one of us makes through our daily lifestyles.' Professor Norman Myers

  • 'Ecological footprinting is a tool to help us think more clearly about our relationship to the planet and, hence, to future generations.' Lester Brown, Worldwatch Institute
Background to the 'ecological footprint'
The concept of an ecological footprint was put forward by Matthias Wackernagel and William E Rees in their 1996 book 'Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth'. It has come to embrace a range of ideas. Their preferred definition of sustainability can be summarised as ‘delivering quality of life for all within the means of nature’. The aim is to quantify our use of nature, and compare this with the carrying capacity of our ecosystems, so that we can assess environmental sustainability.
Best Foot Forward http://www.bestfootforward.com
Redefining progress Good pdf brochure explains the concept. http://www.rprogress.org
 

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Calculating your ecological footprint
There are lots of sites which allow you to estimate the impact you're having on the planet. Most are US in origin. The New Scientist version is particularly suitable for the UK.
Angel or devil? New Scientist footprint quiz How many Earths would be needed if everyone on the planet enjoyed your standard of living? http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/environment/quiz2.jsp
Calculate your own footprint http://www.lead.org/leadnet/footprint/intro.htm
Redefining progress - a page on eco footprints with a link to a calculator http://www.rprogress.org/programs/sustainability/ef/
Earth Day Footprint quiz http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.asp
Best Foot Forward footprint lifestyle calculator http://www.bestfootforward.com/footprintlife.htm
Ecology Fund calculator - a version of best foot forward (above) http://www.ecologyfund.com/registry/ecology/res_bestfoot.html
Mountain equipment coop footprint calculator http://www.mec.ca/Apps/ecoCalc/ecoCalc.jsp
SafeClimate carbon footprint calculator allows individuals and organizations to determine carbon dioxide emissions from major sources http://www.safeclimate.net/calculator/
 

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Download an ecological footprint calculator
To download ecocal as used by the OU on its courses http://www.open2.net/choices/ecocal/ecocal.htm
Teachers can install a footprint calculator from ESF http://csf.concord.org/esf/Software_EFCDownload.cfm
 

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Follow up to the 'ecological footprint'
New Scientist environment page Highly recommended. Three scenarios NS say we face unless we can tackle the evils of overconsumption and the gap between rich and poor. Climate change, pollution and population growth. http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/environment/
Sustainable development page from Yahoo! http://uk.dir.yahoo.com
Can we reduce Wales' footprint? http://www.cymru2002.co.uk/conference/outcomes/seminar08_e.shtml
WWF - The conservation organisation http://www.panda.org/
Encams - UK environmental campaigns group which aims to achieve litter free and sustainable environments http://www.encams.org/
Defra sustainable development page http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/sustainable/index.htm
UK Govt sustainable development website http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/
Energy Information Administration Check who's guzzling the gas http://www.eia.doe.gov/

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