What's Your Ecological Footprint?

A new report charges that humans are consuming natural resources 20% faster than nature can renew them.

1 minute read

October 25, 2004, 5:00 AM PDT

"Populations of land, freshwater and marine species fell on average by 40 percent between 1970 and 2000. The report cited urbanization, forest clearance, pollution, overfishing and the introduction by humans of non-native animals, such as cats and rats, which often drive out indigenous species.

The biggest consumers per capita of non-renewable natural resources are the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Kuwait, Australia and Sweden...

...The world's 6.1 billion people leave a collective footprint of 33.36 billion acres, 5.44 acres per person, according to the report. To allow the Earth to regenerate, the average should be no more than 4.45 acres, said the WWF. The effect of an average North American is double that of a European, but seven times that of the average Asian or African.

The average U.S. resident leaves a 23.47-acre footprint, also largely from fuel."

Thanks to The Practice of New Urbanism

FULL STORY: Human activity is choking the planet, report warns

Friday, October 22, 2004 in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Environment United States

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