PSY 111 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Global Hectare, Ecological Footprint, Carbon Footprint
Document Summary
Use of earth"s resources in a way that will not permanently destroy or deplete them. Living within the limits of earth"s biocapacity (ability to sustain human demand given available resources) Raw materials that are obtained from earth and are considered valuable even in their relatively unmodified, natural form. Measure of how much land and water is required to supply the resources a person or population consumes and to absorb the waste produced. Biocapacity is the amount of supplies available to meet demand. Most energy comes from fossil fuels - oil, coal, and natural gas. Coal: supplies 20% of us energy, coal produces electricity, cheap to retrieve and there"s an abundance, however mining it damages the land, emits greenhouse gases. Natural gas: supplies 25% of us energy, heats buildings, cheap and there"s an abundance, however mining it damages the ocean habitat, emits greenhouse gases.
