my global footprint
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Thomas Malthus estimated that human population would eventually outstrip its ability to sustain itself directly causing poverty...Since 1900 the world population has quadrupled and could easily reach 9 billion by mid-21st century.
In fact, some scientists relate the human species to a cancer, invading the planet.
But in addressing the issue of population, Malthus failed to account for consumption patterns.
Carrying capacity is the maximum population of a species that an environment can support.
Paul Ehrlich estimates in his video ‘Population Bomb’ that the Earth’s optimal carrying capacity may have already been exceeded. Thus, I=PAT (impact = population x affluence x technology) proves that a focus on resources is critical to understanding effects of population.
Although economic models believe that larger populations can be beneficial leading to larger tax potential and more creative brains to solve problems, they are not equitable with reality. Developed nations are huge consumers. Specifically, a globally projected ecological footprint developed from North American consumption patterns, would result with the need for 4 planets to support the same population.
On a global scale 20% of the developed population uses 80% of privately consumed resources while the poorest 20% consume 1.4% of resources. Does this make sense to anyone???
An even more sobering fact is that although food production has kept pace with population growth, millions continue to suffer from food insecurity.
The average citizen of a developed country creates 2kg of waster EACH DAY as landfills are becoming full to capacity. Our planet is full of waste.
Until global efforts are put forth to equalize consumption of resources, within and between countries, poverty will perpetuate.
Increases in consumption of resources cause both direct and indirect health complications!
Population health research suggests that the healthiest societies are ones in which there is an equitable distributuion of wealth. In fact, studies show that poverty pockets among the urban wealthy ultimately affect the health of the rich as well. So, even the most selfish of humanity should care about poverty, if only to impact/preserve their own health!
Poverty should not exist in our world.
It breaks my heart to know that my selfishness is hurting other people.
I'm going to strive to reduce my own ecological footprint:
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| IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 8.8 GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 1.8 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE GLOBAL HECTARES PER PERSON. | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 1.4 PLANETS. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Calculate your own ecological footprint...
posted by Rachel Pede @ 1:04 PM
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