The Ecological Footprint Dilemma

By
Bruno Borsari Winona State University

How sustainable is your present life style?

You visited: http://www.myfootprint.org to find out! Get your data out now. Calculate means for your group, and bring the means to the front desk.

Ecological Footprint Table (Means are in Hectares)

Category Group 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Food Mobility Shelter Goods & Services Total (Hectares)

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12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Total per 3

Take a look at the table of data all of your groups generated. What are the main trends you see? What does this mean in terms of how we live our lives and resulting impacts on the environment?

Did you know that the ecological footprint in the U.S. is about
9.7 hectares per person, whereas the planet has a capacity of only 1.8 hectares per person?

CQ#1: What is sustainability?

A. The achievement of the best possible quality of life for me. B. A reconciliation between resource use and distribution. C. The eradication of poverty and disease. D. Human society functioning in a way that is socially just and living within the limits of natural systems.
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What is sustainability?
sustainable: in the human scale of time, is able to endure, thrive, and regenerate without overburdening the living systems of the earth.
sustainable society: one that satisfies its needs without jeopardizing opportunities for future generations.

What is sustainability?
What is social acceptability?
What is economic viability?
Economic viability

Social acceptability

Environmental suitability

What is environmental suitability?

As a group, define these concepts.

CQ#2: Are our present lifestyles sustainable?

A. Yes B. To some extent

C. Probably not
D. No

Population, Resources, and the Environment

The contrast between less developed and highly developed countries is overwhelming.

Population size versus Affluence

I=P*A*T
Through this model, examine per capita oil consumption and CO2 emissions between China and the USA.
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Population, Resources, and the Environment

The contrast between less developed and highly developed countries is overwhelming.

AFFLUENCE.what is it?

http://www.storyofstuff.com/
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WORLD SCIENTISTS WARNING TO HUMANITY (1992)

from102 Nobel laureates and1600 other scientists

We are on a collision course with the regenerative capabilities of the ecosphere. Human society may be unable to sustain life as we know it.

Fundamental changes are urgent.

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Read Part I of the Case

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Momodu and Ahmed

Momodu Turay had just arrived from Sierra Leone a few days before the start of the fall semester to study Environmental Education. Ahmed was a graduate student mentor from Senegal, and Momodu had been assigned to him by the International Students Office to ease his transition to the new cultural context and learning environment. The two students quickly became friends.

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The Invitation
Getting involved in extracurricular activities is an excellent way to experience the new American culture in which we live, meet people, and also relax a bit from the daily study schedule, Ahmed told Momodu as the two were eating dinner at the cafeteria. Ive been involved with the Environmental Club for the past two years and since last year I have been serving as vice-president. We have a meeting tonight at 6:30 and I want you to come along. You may join the Club later on if you wish but, most importantly, you will meet a diverse group of students interested in a variety of environmental issues who are working to making our campus more sustainable. 15

The Meeting
The meeting room in the basement of the Student Union was filled to capacity. Ron Smith, President of the Student Government Association, had asked to present the SGAs plan to increase the number of parking spaces on campus. The universitys Vice President of Students Affairs was eager to report students opinions to the administration as there were plans to demolish old Hamlin Hall and eventually convert that area into a parking lot. Jane McDermott, President of the Environmental Club, called the meeting to order and, after approval of the past meeting minutes, invited Ron to make his case. The meeting lasted longer than usual as the audience was evenly split in support of the idea of building a new parking lot versus developing a community garden for all students in order to make the campus greener.
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CQ#3. If this issue were discussed at your college campus, what position would you take?
A. I would be in favor of the parking lot.

B. I would be in favor of the community garden.

C. I do not know. D. I think that students should not even be involved in making these decisions.
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Select One of the Questions Below and Discuss it with Your Group
A. How do parking and food production relate to sustainability? B. What challenges are there with either option? C. Think of another plan to utilize the available space in a way that will be sustainable.
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CQ#4: All of these natural resources BUT one are renewable. Which is not renewable?
A. Forest trees B. Fertile soil

C. Minerals
D. Solar energy

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Natural Resource Base

Non-renewable: Minerals Fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal)

Natural Resources

Renewable: energy: solar, wind, tides flowing water, geothermal, clean air, fertile soil, fresh water, biodiversity.

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(Petroleum Equities Inc., adapted from Campbell et al., 1997)

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CQ#5: If we are headed toward a trajectory of falling oil availability, what options are feasible for using this available open space on campus?
A. Parking lot B. Community garden C. Reconstruct a natural habitat (e.g., a prairie, a pond, or a forest) D. I do not know E. The university president should make this decision
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CQ#6: Where does most of the energy needed to produce food in modern, large scale agriculture come from?
A. The sun B. The soil C. Oil D. Wind power E. There is no need for energy when growing food

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An example of the oil problem: modern

agricultural systems use a lot of energy!
About 66% of conventional corn soybean energy input is for nitrogen fertilizer. About 10% is for herbicide. In contrast, about 75% of organic energy inputs are for seed.

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Human Environmental Impacts

The concentration of lights visible from space indicates high human population density
Photo: NASA

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Whole systems of humanity and nature are synthesized to better understand limits to external, extractive economies and the role of local production.
KEY: NR = Natural Resources SOURCE: Doherty et al., 2004 26

Major Threats of Expanding Farming Systems

Habitat destruction (complete elimination of habitat).

Habitat alteration (altered disturbance regimens, habitat fragmentation, grazing, over-harvesting, global warming, pollution, development, introducing alien species).
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CQ#7: Is sustainability just a matter of RESOURCE use and allocation?

A. Yes B. No C. I do not know

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CQ#8: Could other attributes (beside those listed below) help to better define sustainability?
A. Yes B. No C. I do not know
Economic viability Social acceptability

Environmental suitability

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Read Part II of the Case

Momodu remained convinced that both plans were legitimate at fulfilling specific campus needs, whereas Ahmed was adamantly in favor of the community garden. Either plan has inevitable advantages and disadvantages, said Momodu the next day when he met Ahmed for breakfast at the cafeteria. What should we know in order to make a sound decision? I believe this is a critical question that should be brought up at the next meeting. Its answer will be vitally important if we are going to resolve this issue.
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Concept Interactions for the Achievement of Sustainability

Ecology

Conservation

Community

EDUCATION

Ethics

Evolution

Energy

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Ecosystem Integrity
The capacity to support and maintain a balanced, integrated, adaptive community of organisms having species composition, diversity and functional organization comparable to the habitat of the region.

Ecosystem Function
The specific contribution of an ecosystem component to maintaining the ecosystem.

Adapted from: Doherty, 2001.

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CQ #9: After discussing and learning about sustainability, what decision would you make if you were a student at the same university where Momodu and Ahmed are enrolled?
A. I would want the parking lot. B. I would want the community garden. C. I would favor a decision to develop both parking lot and garden. D. I would let the president of the university make that decision. E. I would want the town mayor and residents to become involved in this decision as well.
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Epilogue
The discussions about parking lot vs. garden carried over into the spring semester. At the end, a consensus was reached. One acre was devoted to extending the parking lot and two acres were developed into a community garden. Momodu was instrumental in achieving this decision through his facilitation of the discussions that followed the meeting between the SGA and the Environmental Club members.

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Slide Credits
Slide 1, Slide 5 Description: Illustration of ecological footprint. Author: Wayne Ruston. Clearance: Licensed, royalty free, Wayne Ruston|Fotolia.com. Slide 8, Slide 29 Description: Common model of sustainability. Author: Bruno Borsari, Biology Department, Winona State University. Clearance: Used with permission. Slide 9 Description: Illustration of question mark over globe. Author: Futook. Clearance: Licensed, royalty free, Futook|Fotolia.com. Slide 20 Description: Relationship between renewable and non-renewable resources. Author: Bruno Borsari, Biology Department, Winona State University. Clearance: Used with permission.

Slide 21 Description: Graph illustrating the decline of oil production and reserves. Author: Dr. E. Hunter Herron of Petroleum Equities Inc. Adapted from data in C.J. Campbell, Depletion Patterns Show Change Due for Production of Conventional Oil, Oil & Gas Journal, December 29, 1997. Clearance: Used with permission.
Slide 23 Description: Basket of tomatoes and bell peppers. Author: Bruno Borsari, Biology Department, Winona State University. Clearance: Used with permission. Slide 24 Description: Cows on a pasture. Author: Bruno Borsari, Biology Department, Winona State University. Clearance: Used with permission. Slide 25 Description: Night world map showing major areas of human habitation Author: NASA, http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/image/earth_night.jpg. Clearance: Believed to be public domain as a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code. Slide 26 Description: Graph comparing the role of sustainable production based upon then utilization of renewable resources versus local and imported inputs. Source: Doherty et al., 2004. Clearance: Used with permisson.

Slide 31 Description: Theoretical model that illustrates how education can serve as the vehicle to achieve sustainability. Author: Bruno Borsari, Biology Department, Winona State University. Clearance: Used with permission. Slide 32 Description: Relationship between ecosystem integrity and ecosystem function. Source: Doherty, 2001. Clearance: Used with permission. Slide 34 Description: New parking lot at Winona State University (Winona, MN) and students organic garden at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Author: Bruno Borsari, Biology Department, Winona State University. Clearance: Used with permission.