Ecological

Footprint
 Ecological Footprint

• Ecological Footprints are a measure of human

impact on the Earth. The footprint equals the
Earth’s cost to sustain one person. It’s measured
in hectares and represents the land area needed
to provide resources and absorb waste and
greenhouse gases produced by an individual.
Ecological Footprint
 Ecological Footprint

We, as Canadians, require …..

• 0.2 hectares of land for water (to drink & provide seafood)
hectares of land for home and roads and factories that
make the material things we grave
• 1.1 hectares of land for farmland to grow the food we eat
• 0.3 hectares of land for grazing land for meat and dairy
• 1.4 hectares of land for timber wood and paper products
• 4.7 hectares of land and needed to absorb the
greenhouse gases produced by driving around town,
through the running of air conditioners and the
import of exotic goods and foods
= 7.7 hectares
 Ecological Footprint

• World Average – 3.1 hectares

• Biggest Footprints
#1 United Arab Emirates ………. 16 hectares
# 2 United States ……………….. 12.2 hectares
• Smallest Footprint
Bangladesh ………………… 0.6 hectares
• Average Canadian Footprint – 7.7 hectares
# 9 Canada

Why is Canada’s average footprint so big?

 Ecological Footprints for…..

# 23 – South Korea ……………… 5.6 hectares

#38 – Kazakhstan ………………. 4.5 hectares
#52 – Lebanon ………………….. 3.2 hectares
#64 – Iran ………………………… 2.5 hectares
#71 – Cuba ………………………. 2.1 hectares
#77 – China ……………………… 1.8 hectares
#79 – Iraq ………………………… 1.7 hectares
#117 – Vietnam ………………….. 1.0 hectares
#128 – Ethiopia …………………… 0.9 hectares