An ecological footprint represents an effective comparison of the resources consumed by people in totality inclusive of the waste area and land that is required for the replacement of the resources. A carbon footprint also represents the usage of a resource but focuses mainly on the greenhouse gases that are released because of the burning of fossil fuels. The calculated greenhouse gas emissions make up only a small part of the ecological footprint, utilized in the same way as in the case of the carbon footprint. Both the calculations, however, rightfully illustrate the impact that the activities of human beings have on the environment.
The balance sheet (Global level)
The ecological footprint measures the range of demands that a population of humans have from the environment and nature as a whole. On the negative side are activities like energy usage that support the lives of humans. On the positive side, is the biocapacity of the earth which represents its ability to replace resources and effectively manage waste.
Climate and carbon
Greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fuels can be absorbed by the Earth despite its ability to naturally replenish within the lifetime of a human. This is the reason why ecological footprints include the land area that is covered in forest and the area covered by sea required for the absorption of greenhouse gases like CO2. Carbon footprint on the other hand is measured in units of carbon dioxide or carbon equivalents, sans any reference to water or land area. A carbon footprint is primarily used to increase the amount of awareness that prevails with regard to the impact that greenhouse gases have on the environment.
The impact of carbon
The greenhouse gases that are quantitatively released in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels has a direct impact on the ecological footprint. A greater amount of greenhouse gases requires more land and sea area for the removal of these gases from the environment. More greenhouse gas emissions are proportional to a larger carbon footprint. The larger the carbon footprint, the larger the ecological footprint is going to be.
Deficit consumption
Human beings’ ecological footprint is greater than the earth’s biocapacity since the mid-1980s. The balance sheet has therefore been a deficit, with the difference taken out by drawing on the fossil fuels (stored resources) that the Earth is unable to replace each year.
Conclusion
At C6 Energy, a sustainable environment is a part of our purpose. Our Graphene enabled cell technology is carbon neutral and has a zero carbon footprint.