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ecological footprint — English
The impact of human development, such as settlements, a mine, a road, a single building, construction or enterprise of any size or complexity has on the environment into which it is introduced. An ecological footprint has two components, namely the intensity of the impact and the areal extent of the impact. Theoretically, an ecological footprint can be “heavy” but spatially restricted, or it might be “light” but spatially extensive. All human constructions have fuel, transport, food and waste disposal needs. These usually extend beyond the development itself and an ecological space is thus delineated or demarcated (see “demarcation”). Cities, towns, airports and industrial installations have a heavy impact on the environment and their ecological footprints are extensive. Single homesteads in a rural area also have significant ecological footprints. All eco-tourism facilities and enterprises have some impact on the environment (see “eco-lodges”). Even the most minimalistic hiking trails have a certain ecological footprint. The top notch eco-lodges that pride themselves in being environmentally friendly, have surprisingly large and heavy ecological footprints, especially when they have private landing strips and a large staff to accommodate. A university like Unisa has an enormous ecological footprint. Think of all the buildings, the staff parking, the student facilities, the postal services, the facilities for telephonic and internet communication which are involved in non-residential education. Even the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site has a significant ecological footprint that extends over a semi-rural area of several square kilometres. By their very nature, military operations and warfare have an enormous ecological footprint. Recreation for the rich such as golf courses, ski resorts, racing tracts, human-made 4x4 routes, and many others – ironically – have enormous ecological footprints which are seldom considered. (See “ecology” and “environmental degradation”).
