Earth and Human Activity

A measure of how much biologically productive land and water
an individual, population or activity requires to produce all the
resources it consumes, and to absorb the waste it generates,
using prevailing technology and resource management practices.
The Ecological Footprint is usually measured in global hectares.
Because trade is global, an individual or country’s Footprint
includes land or sea from all over the world. Also referred to in
short as Footprint (Global Footprint Network, 2012).

When a population’s demands on an ecosystem exceed
the capacity of that ecosystem to regenerate the resources
demanded. Overshoot results in ecological assets being
diminished and carbon waste accumulating in the atmosphere
(Global Footprint Network, 2014).

An ecosystem service is any positive benefit that wildlife or ecosystems provides to people.  The benefits can be direct or indirect – small or large.  (NWF, 2014)