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SANTA MONICA
USING 5.7% LESS OF EARTH’S RESOURCES THAN 10 YEARS
AGO
Footprint Evaluation
Shows Progress But
Much Can Still Be Done
Santa Monica—The
City of Santa Monica released a study analyzing the
change in the City’s Ecological Footprint, which tracks its use of the Earth’s
resources in terms of water and land area. Results
showed its use shrank by 167 sq. miles, or 5.7%,
from 2,914 sq. miles in 1990.
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One of the most effective tools
for measuring human impacts on local and global
ecosystems, the Ecological Footprint takes into
account factors such as land use, electricity and
natural gas use, gasoline and diesel use,
transportation and vehicles, roads, housing, food,
products, waste, and recycling. |
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The Earth’s
total area of biologically productive land and fresh
water sources is finite—and must be shared among a
growing population of more than 6 billion people.
This finite amount provides about 4.5 acres per
person, and the US average is 24 acres per person.
The average Santa Monica resident’s footprint is
almost 13% smaller than the national average, at
20.9 acres per person.
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Calculate Your Footprint?
Simple Things
You Can Do to Reduce Your Footprint
Footprint Q & A
Santa Monica Footprint Map
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Footprint Facts:
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Globally, we are using 15% more
resources than the earth can support.
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For the first time the United States has
the world's largest Footprint at 23.7 acres
per person - a sustainable Footprint would
be 4.6 acres.
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Compared to the US, Canada uses about
30% less, at 17 acres per person and Italy
uses about 60% less, at 9 acres per person.
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At the other end of the scale,
developing countries like Bangladesh and
Mozambique have Footprints of 0.53 hectares
(1.3 acres) per capita - just over 1/20th of
the US Footprint.
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Santa Monica residents average use is
20.9 acres per person.
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This page was last modified on
05/02/2008
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