Do you know
your ecological footprint?
An ecological footprint is the measure of
how much land and water area a human population needs to
produce the resources required to sustain itself and to
absorb its wastes, given current technology. With the Iowa
State University Bioethics Program, the Leopold Center
hosted a visit in November 2005 by William Rees, the
Canadian researcher who helped develop the ecological
footprint analysis in 1995. Since that time, the concept has
won wide acceptance as an effective tool to summarize human
impact on the planet, covering everything from food
production and land use, to greenhouse gases and pollution.
The following information comes from Rees’ two presentations
at ISU. Material from both of his presentations is posted on
the web at:
www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/pastevents/rees/rees.htm
-
According to 2001 data, the United
States has a footprint that is 20 times larger than the
poorest countries. Bangladesh and Pakistan have a
footprint measuring less than 1.2 acres per person,
compared to 23.5 acres in the United States, 19.2 acres
in Australia, 16 acres in Canada, 13.6 acres in the
United Kingdom, and approximately 5 acres as a world
average. In general, energy efficiencies have
compensated for increases in the ecological footprint.
-
One-fourth to one-fifth of the world’s
population uses 86 percent of the world’s resources. If
the entire world population today enjoyed the same
consumer lifestyles as residents of Canada and the
United States, it would take four additional earth-like
planets to accommodate everyone sustainably.
-
To keep pace with medium population
growth projections estimated by the United Nations, food
production must increase 57 percent by 2050. If diets
are improved, this could push the needed increase toward
100 percent.
-
Using current technology, about 1.2
acres per person are required to provide the diverse
high-protein diet enjoyed by western Europeans and North
Americans. However, only about 0.6 acres per person is
available as cropland for food production.
-
Most of the world’s nearly 200 nations
are partially dependent on food imports. Even some very
wealthy countries such as the Netherlands and the United
Kingdom have food eco-footprints up to several times
larger than their domestic cropland area. Just five
countries – the United States, Canada, Australia, France
and Argentina – account for 80 percent of cereal exports
in global food markets.
Living mulch field day
July 11
The Leopold Center and Practical Farmers of
Iowa will host a field day July 11 at the Craig and LaVon
Griffieon farm near Ankeny.
Several plots on the Griffieon farm demonstrate the use of
living mulches to protect soil, control weeds and reduce
herbicide inputs in a corn-soybean-forage rotation. During
the row crop phases of the rotation, living mulches are
chemically managed in the row zone to minimize competition
with the main crop. The mulches also provide refuges for
natural enemies of corn and soybean insect pests.
The research began in 2002, partially funded by the Leopold
Center. Researchers have looked at soybean yield response to
kura clover, alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil mulches. They
also have found a reduction in the soybean aphid population.
The field day will begin at 9 a.m. For more information
about the field day, contact PFI at (515) 232-5661.
Other summer
field days
Practical Farmers of Iowa has scheduled more
than 20 field days in 2006. The first, on June 11 at the Don
Adams and Non Bonfils farm near Madrid, will focus on
marketing grass-finished beef.
The Leopold Center is a major partner supporting PFI's
on-farm research and demonstration program.
Leopold Center-funded research also will be featured at
field days for many of the Iowa State University Research
and Demonstration Farms. Seventeen field days are scheduled
throughout Iowa, beginning June 19 at the Horticulture
Station near Ames where researchers will discuss fruit and
vegetable topics.
For a schedule of all field days, go to the Leopold Center
web site events calendar,
www.leopold.iastate.edu//news/events.htm.
|