July/Aug 2008

In a nutshell, it’s the amount of land and natural resources that’s needed to sustain you and your lifestyle, and get rid of your waste.
“At present, 1.7 hectares per person is the accepted ecological benchmark for global sustainability, after taking biodiversity into account. With the anticipated global population of 10 billion for the year 2050 or before, the available space will be reduced to 1.2 hectares, including the sea space.”

The term “ecological footprint” was created by a PhD student at the University of British Columbia in 1994. 

How is it calculated?
Your ecological footprint is calculated by determining how much land would be needed to generate and dispose of what you consume. You can use a variety of websites to calculate your ecological footprint: www.wrwcanada.com, www.earthday.net, www.ecologicalfootprint.com. Your transportation choices, your source of food, whether you recycle or not, and your energy consumption all contribute to calculating your ecological footprint. In many ways, it’s almost identical to calculating your greenhouse gas emissions with carbon calculators, except the results are given in area units. In the end, you’re given a score of how big your footprint is. 

What does it mean?
The larger your environmental footprint, the more land you use. You can use the information to reduce your impact by lowering your emissions, recycling your waste, and ultimately, end up with a smaller footprint.

When you calculate your ecological footprint using an online tool, typically, these sites provide tips to help you lower your score, such as choosing to walk instead of drive, buying your food locally, or making sure that you unplug electronics before leaving the house. For simple ideas about how to reduce your footprint, check out the “1 Thing campaign” at www.obviously.ca/1thing.

How can I use this knowledge?
The first step in making more environmental choices that are sustainable is to understand where you’re starting from in terms of your current lifestyle choices. Calculating your ecological footprint is a good place to start for environmental awareness and action. The number isn’t as important as the lifestyle choices that it can inspire you to make.

Information courtesy of www.obviously.ca

Smart ways to water your lawn
Lawn watering should be done slowly, deeply and infrequently. That way, your lawn gets just what it needs and you don’t unnecessarily waste water.

How much is enough? About two to three centimetres each week, whether it comes from rainfall or watering. One exception to this rule is for new grass seed or sod; then it’s okay to make sure your lawn gets two to three centimetres, two or three times a week, for three weeks, or until the grass is established.
Use a rain gauge or place containers on your lawn to determine how much water has been applied.

The best time to water the lawn is early in the morning. This way you reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation.
The types of hoses and nozzles you use are important. Irrigation or soaker hoses are perfect for the garden; they apply water slowly and directly to the soil. Use pistol-grip nozzles on hoses; always turn off the faucet tightly to prevent leaks. Don’t use sprinklers that produce a fine mist because too much water gets lost to wind and evaporation.

Alarm clocks and stove timers can help remind us to shut off sprinklers.

Finally, don’t water your lawn when water is in short supply.

Remember that when you conserve water, you’re ensuring its availability for future generations. When we have water, we extend the life of facilities that treat and distribute water and reduce the amount of wastewater discharged to streams and rivers.

Water conservation also makes it easier to maintain the supply of drinking water during droughts.

Here’s a remarkable fact: More than half of the water we use for our lawns and gardens is lost to evaporation or runoff. This means that we’re overdoing it and wasting water. Overwatering is bad for the lawn; it weakens roots and makes lawns more susceptible to drying and burning.
Information courtesy of www.obviously.ca