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Tool Summary Tool Characteristics Tool Application Source of Tools Opinion of Tools

Source of tools

Name of the tool
Ecological Footprint

Where is tool available from
In a form of a paper:
M Wackernagel & W Rees (1996) Our Ecological Footprint, Reducing Human Impact on the Earth, The New Catalyst Bioregional Series, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada; New Society Publishers. (Article published in Enviornmental Monitoring and Assessment – journal subscribed to by University library)

For a basic version of the tool :
http://www.bestfootforward.com/footprintlife.htm. In a few questions it provides a rough idea of an individuals ecological footprint.

When was the tool produced
1998

Is support provided
No

Organisation/s that developed the tool and country of origin
Country where the tool was produced:
Unknown where the tool originated from, but this article is written by a Mexican and an American.

Organisation and author/s that produced the tool:
Unknown original authors, but this article:
Mathis Wackernagel from Cenro di Estudios para la Sustentabilidad Universidad Anáhuac de Xalapa, Apdo, Postal 653,91000 Xalapa, Ver., Mexico and J. David Yount, United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd., Duluth, MN 55804, USA.

Organisations/ departments also involved in the design/development of the tool:
Unable to provide in depth information about this as unable to find the origins of the Ecological Footprint.
However it has been validated and is regularly used at many levels – nationally, regionally, locally and institutionally. This paper uses the US as an example to explain the calculation procedure for assessing national footprints.
Also the following people have been involved in producing Ecological Footprints of 52 nations: Mathis Wackernagel, Larry Onisto, Alejandro Callejas Linares, Ina Susana López Falfán, Jesus Méndez García, Ana Isabel Suárez Guerrero, Ma. Guadalupe Suárez Guerrero. More information is available from:
http://www.ecouncil.ac.cr/rio/focus/report/english/footprint/

Organisation/s funded development of the tool:
The study on which the data analysis of this paper is based was commissioned and funded by The Earth Council for the Rio 5 Forum held in Rio De Janeiro from March 13 to 19 1997.

Is the tool newly developed or based on an exisiting tool
Not specified

Cost of the full tool
The tool is in a form of a paper available from:
M Wackernagel & W Rees (1996) Our Ecological Footprint, Reducing Human Impact on the Earth, The New Catalyst Bioregional Series, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada; New Society Publishers. (Article published in Enviornmental Monitoring and Assessment – journal subscribed to by University library)

For more information also see:
http://www.lead.org/leadnet/footprint/intro.htm. This website allows citizens of the US to produce an ecological footprint of their lives.

A basic version of the tool is available on line at:
http://www.bestfootforward.com/footprintlife.htm. In a few questions it provides a rough idea of an individuals ecological footprint.