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An ecological footprint, or a global footprint is a way of
assessing the impact that your way of life has on the planet.
The size of our 'footprint' is worked out by looking at the
amount of land needed to supply all of the resources that we use, and to get
rid of all of the waste we produce. At the moment if everyone on the planet
had a footprint as big as the 'average' person in the UK, we would need 3
whole planets to support us!
Living sustainably means working to reduce our 'footprints' so
that we can all live on one planet using the available resources, now and in
the future.
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It is important to look at the issues holistically because
they are all connected.
It is also important to look at the wider issues and the
'interconnections' between the different issues.
e.g.
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If we were to walk to school rather than getting the bus
then we would be cutting car use and traffic jams, making safer roads,
cutting fuel use and pollution. We would also be improving our health
and so therefore in the long run cutting NHS bills (taking the health
out of the health service).
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Buying local food would mean eating fresher food, helping
local farmers and so improving the local economy and community, cutting
food miles and therefore energy, fuel and pollution. |
Sustainability can be broadly split into these three areas:
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| Community - |
Empowerment |
Citizenship - |
Involvement,
decision making |
| Global issues - |
Self
responsibility |
| Co-operative - |
Inclusion |
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Energy
energy efficiency, alternative sources, community
owned supplies & generators.
Transport
safe routes, walking, public transport, cycling, amount of
traffic, pollution, fuel sources, healthy living.
Waste
reusing, reducing, repairing, recycling, packaging,
consumerism.
Natural world
biodiversity, organic, wildlife corridors, gardening,
composting.
Climate change
why is it happening, what are the consequences.
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