8.4 Human Carrying Capacity

difficulties in measuring human carrying capacity (5)

humans use a larger range of resources than other species

humans can substitute resources when they run out

resource use varies among humans depending on culture, lifestyle and economic status

humans import resources so not only the local environment can be used to determine carrying capacity

technological advancements lead to changes in the resources we use- machines become more efficient or new technology allows use of new resources

ecocentric ways to change the carrying capacity (4)

reduce use of non renewable resources

minimize the use of renewable resources

grow our own food

recycling water and harvesting rainwater

technocentric way to change the carrying capacity

increased efficiency of resource use through technological advancements- however will only work of pop stays the same

4 ways to reduce environmental demands

reuse

recycle

remanufacture- materials used to make an object of the same type

absolute reduction

ecological footprint

the area of land and water required to support a given population at a given standard of living

Earthshare

the share of the Earth’s resources that a person would have if resources were all shared equitably

average EF of American citizen

8 ha/year

global average EF

2.7 ha/year

donut model

a model for a safe economy in which the lower boundary is social foundations such as food, water, health, education and equality and the upper boundary is the ecological ceiling representing environmental limits such as overconsumption and global warming