Ympäristöjälkiään

Ympäristöjälkiään is a Finnish term that translates to "environmental footprint" or "ecological footprint" in English. It refers to the measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area an individual, population, or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb all the waste it generates. This footprint is typically expressed in global hectares, which are hectares of land with average biological productivity.

The concept of environmental footprint helps to quantify the impact of human activities on the planet's natural resources and its capacity to regenerate them. It encompasses various aspects, including the consumption of food, energy, housing, transportation, and goods and services. By calculating an environmental footprint, individuals and societies can gain a better understanding of their resource consumption patterns and their sustainability.

A larger environmental footprint indicates a greater demand on the Earth's resources, potentially leading to environmental degradation, resource depletion, and climate change. Conversely, a smaller footprint suggests a more sustainable lifestyle. Efforts to reduce one's environmental footprint often involve adopting sustainable practices, such as reducing energy consumption, choosing renewable energy sources, minimizing waste, and opting for sustainable transportation. The goal of understanding and reducing environmental footprints is to live within the Earth's carrying capacity.