Define ecological footprint and differentiate between the ecological footprint of a developing country and that of the United States. Support or challenge the following statement: "The population problem does not lie entirely with the developing world."

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

An ecological footprint is the cumulative amount of land and water required to provide the raw materials that a person or population consumes and the disposal or recycling of waste that is produced. The ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen is significantly larger than that of the average resident of a developing country and is clearly unsustainable. The population problem does not lie entirely with the developing world because the developed world's consumption is rising faster than its population (e.g., U.S. and China). A child born today in the U.S. has an ecological footprint 8 times higher than that of a child born in India and produces 10 times more carbon dioxide, so ultimately population growth in developed nations like the U.S. will have a larger negative impact on global ecosystems than will the same amount of population growth in developing nations like India.