Ecological Footprints & Sustainability

Flashcards covering key concepts of ecological footprints and sustainability, focusing on environmental indicators, resource use, and strategies for sustainable living.

Sustainability

Living on Earth in a way that allows us to use its resources without depriving future generations.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of how much land is needed to supply the goods and services that an individual uses.

Environmental Indicators

Tools used to describe the current state of an environmental system and monitor natural systems for stress.

Ecosystem Services

Life-supporting resources the environment provides, such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and crops.

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)

The maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising future availability.

Urban Heat Island Effect

Urban areas being hotter than surrounding rural areas, typically by 1-2°C, due to human land use.

Smart Growth Principles

Strategies to reduce urban sprawl, incorporating mixed land uses and preservation of open spaces.

Per Capita Resource Use

The average resource consumption per person, which varies significantly between developed and developing countries.

Per Capita

Per capita means per person

Resource use per capita

Developed countries use far more resources per capita than developing countries

5 Key Global Indicators

Biological Diversity, Food Production, Avg Global Surface Temp & CO2 concentration, Human Population, Resource Depletement

Biological Diversity

Currently extinction rate is increasing, large # of extinctions (negative)

Food Production

Affect the number of people Earth can support.  Per capita could be leveling off (unclear)

Avg. global surface temp & CO2 concentration

Both are increasing and will continue to - at least for the near future (negative)

Human Population

Currently increasing, but growth rate is slowing (negative)

Resource Depletion

Occurring at a rapid rate, however efficiency is increasing (negative)

Ecological Foot Print Bullets

Aka Carbon footprint, global  footprint

Used to determine if we are living sustainably

A measure of how much land is needed to supply the goods and services that individual uses

It compares resource demands and waste production required for an individual or society

Ecological Footprint Land Use

Developed nations use more land, Developing nations use less land

Effects of Human Land Use

Human land use affects the environment: Agriculture, housing, recreation, industry, mining, & waste disposal benefit humans…but have negative consequences

Extensive logging leads to:

mudslides, deforestation, climate change

Over use of farm land leads to..

soil degradation, water pollution, mudslides

Paving over land surfaces reroutes water runoff leads to

flooding and mudslides

Methods to reduce urban runoff:

Reducing urban runoff requires increasing water infiltration.

Replace traditional pavement w/ permeable pavement, Plant trees, Increase public transportation (less need to build more roads),Build up, not out. Many of these strategies are incorporated into smart growth principles but apply here too.