overuse

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EARTH'S RESOURCES OVERUSED BY 15%: (03/22/04): " Redefining Progress today

released an update of the world's leading indicator of sustainability, the

Ecological Footprint Accounts. The 2004 Footprint of Nations concludes that

the world's wealthiest nations are mortgaging the future at the expense of

today's children, the poor, and the long-term health of the Earth. The

national Ecological Footprint Accounts measure the land area required to

support a nation, providing for its needs and absorbing its wastes. The

Accounts are composed of six factors: energy use, grazing land,

pastureland, fisheries, built land and forests.

 

For the first time the United States has the world's largest Footprint at

9.57 hectares (23.7 acres) per person - a sustainable Footprint would be

1.88 hectares (4.6 acres). At the other end of the scale, developing

countries like Bangladesh and Mozambique have Footprints of 0.53 hectares

(1.3 acres) per capita - just over 1/20th of the US Footprint. Humanity's

combined footprint represents an overuse of the earth's natural resources

by 15%.

 

Another trend reported in the study is the growing number of sub-national

governments that have taken action by compiling local Ecological Footprint

Accounts to reduce their use of global ecological resources. " When London,

Paris, and San Francisco calculated their [local] Footprints, they invested

in the future. When they take action to reduce their impact, they see

returns immediately in environmental health, economic vitality, and social

equity, " said Jason Venetoulis, co-director of the Sustainability

Indicators Program. "

 

[Edited from:

http://www.rprogress.org/media/releases/040322_foot.html

 

[For the full report:

http://www.redefiningprogress.org/publications/footprintnations2004.pdf

 

[Figure out your own personal ecological footprint at:

http://www.myfootprint.org/