Defining ecological footprint

Ecologists have come up with the term “ecological footprint”.  What does it mean?  Our ecological footprint is the amount of land and water it takes to sustain the way we live here on our planet.  It encompasses the people’s demand on the planet with its ability to regenerate.  Studies have shown that the way we live now, our ecological footprint is 1.3.  Meaning, it takes 1.3 Earths to support our lifestyle.

With the advent of global warming, pollution and other ecological disasters plaguing our planet, scientists, ecologists and environmentalists are scrambling to find a way to make our footprint smaller.  There are a lot of ecological footprint calculators so scientists are finding a way to standardize these tests in order to obtain a more accurate and consistent measuring system.

However, there are ways we can help make our footprints smaller.  Cars do not only clog our streets and cause traffic, they contribute to air pollution as well.  So whenever you can, use public transport.  The less cars there are on the streets, the better it is for the earth.  Conserve water.  Fresh water is one of our most basic needs.  And fresh water is getting hard to come by again, because of pollution.  Something as small as turning of the tap when you brushing your teeth will turn out to be a big help if we all do it together.  Go organic.  Buy fruit and vegetables that are organically grown and help the earth heal by consuming produce that do not use chemical fertilizers.  Switch to energy saving lighting devices.  Energy saving lamps save up to 30% energy imagine the energy savings we could generate if we all changed our old bulbs.

Always remember the three R’s.  Recycle, Reduce and Reuse whenever you can and help save our planet.

Tweet This Post