11kologischer Fuabdrucksrechner fr Schulen Ecological Footprint for Schools

11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen Ecological Footprint for Schools

What is the Ecological Footprint? The ecological footprint is an instrument to measure the way in which we change and burden the environment through our actions. 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen The more resources we use and the more pollutants we produce, the larger our footprint will be.

How can we measure the effect of our actions? We compare what WE HUMANS produce with what NATURE gives us and pollutants that NATURE can break down US NATURE 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen

What we as humans can do We consume…: Fossil resources (Oil, natural gas, coal, …) … and we produce: Everything we need to live (houses, food, clothes, means of transport, electricity…) Renewable resources (Wood, natural fibres, 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen …and much more vegetable oils…) (things that we do not need to survive) Non-renewable resources (rocks, metals, uranium…)

What nature gives us Nature has a large engine: The Sun The sun is our number one source of energy and our only natural income. 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen The sun is responsible for: - Plant growth, - Water cycles, - Wind - And much more

Renewable Resources and Energy … The energy of the sun gives us renewable resources And energy. These resources and energies - are renewed for us year by year - produce very few pollutants 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen Renewable resources mean a small footprint.

Fossil resources … … as oil, natural gas or coal are actually also stored solar energy, but - their formation took millions of years, 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen - Once they have been used up, they cannot be replaced - They produce a large amount of pollutants. Therefore, use of fossil resources means a large footprint.

What nature does as well: The pollutants that we produce are absorbed and decomposed in different ways by nature: By the air 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen By water By the soil But the amounts that nature can absorb are limited.

The ecological footprint… … is made up of what we consume 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen and how much we burden the environment with pollutants

Examples 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen

The ecological footprint of a school… …is made up of: • electricity consumption and how electricity mix is used, • need for heating and how much we heat, • water consumption, 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen • waste, • food: how much and the type of food consumped • Mobility – how school students and teachers come to school • which products and the amount bought (paper, Werkstoffe or chemicals)

The ecological footprint of a school To calculate the footprint of a school, follow this link: 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen http: //fussabdrucksrechner. at/schulen

How can we reduce the footprint? Each and everyone of us can improve the way we live! There are lots of different ways… 11Ökologischer Fußabdrucksrechner für Schulen