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Ecological Footprint In Canada

Decent Essays

Introduction In order to preserve Canada’s natural capital, it is imperative to improve Canada’s ecological footprint. A country’s ecological footprint consists of that country’s impact on their environment via their use of resources2. Canada has a small population which results in a much lower ecological footprint than countries with bigger populations¬6. Canada’s total ecological footprint is 224 global hectares (gha)6. This is comparable to the United States with a total ecological footprint of 2.3 billion gha, China with 2.9 billion gha and India with 1.1 billion gha6. This does not mean that Canada is better at preserving natural capital than these other countries6. Canada’s per capita ecological footprint is 6.4gha6. The University of …show more content…

The ecological footprint of a region is calculated by “translating different categories of human consumption into the area of productive land required providing resources and assimilating waste products”1. It can also be calculated on a sub-national scale7. In order to improve the ecological footprint of British Columbia, it is essential to preserve natural capital. Natural capital helps to keep us alive6. Natural capital is made up of resources and ecological services7. Ecological resources consist of water, air, soil, energy and minerals6. Ecological services consist of population control, nutrient recycling, climate control, population control, waste treatment, biodiversity and pest and disease …show more content…

One of the largest contributors to a high ecological footprint is related to personal transportation and the construction, maintenance and operations of buildings3. When more people are living in an area, the amount of energy and transportation needed decreases and so does the area’s ecological footprint3. This occurs because as walking increases, the amount of personal driving decreases.
Another way Vancouver is working to reduce its ecological footprint is by protecting land in the “Green Zone”7. About 60% of the region’s land is protected7. This includes agricultural land, watersheds, and natural and recreational areas7. These “Green Zones” will limit access and help preserve the region’s natural capital.
The David Suzuki Foundation proposed a South Coast Conservation Program in order to “conserve and restore at risk species and ecosystems on the British Columbia South Coast”9. The projects main focus is to preserve ecosystems and maintain biodiversity9. These are essential components in improving natural capital. The Emily Carr University of Art in Design (ECUAD) in Vancouver joined forces with The David Suzuki Foundation (DSF)10. Their goal was an to provide a natural capital application as an educational tool to provide data on natural capital have it more readily

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