Eco-Lingo: Ecological Footprint

Eco-lingo is being tossed around left and right these days. We're demystifying common terms to help you figure out which words are the real deal... and which are just green jargon.

Today's word: Ecological footprint

Definition: We only have one Earth, right? Well, if we keep our ecological footprint the way it is, we're going to need a few more Earths to sustain the amount of resources we go through each day. Our ecological footprint measures how much energy, land, paper, food and sea area the population requires and compares it to the planet's capacity to regenerate. At last official count, it takes the Earth about a year and five months to catch up with the amount of resources we use in a year. Whew!

While the official ecological footprint for humanity is measured every year, you can measure your personal ecological footprint by checking out the Global Footprint Network's Footprint for You link. It's a quick, fun exercise with a jarring outcome: you'll find out how many Earths would be necessary if everyone lived their life like yours. If nothing else, it's a great reminder to eat locally, travel sparingly and waste much less.