These use data from the National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts and other sources as referenced.
Argentina vs. The Economic Crisis
The story behind the same old match Argentina has been playing since 1961, now in its new uniform: Industrial Pig Farming
Big numbers help us see big things. And vice versa. Industrial pig farming is detrimental for the environment, for small farmers, and for the animals who are confined to it. But economic crises push countries to adopt measures that overlook the socio-environmental consequences of international trade. Argentina is a well-known crop and meat exporter... Read more.
Selfish Shellfish?
Does the global demand for the smallest crustacean lead to the biggest environmental exploitation?
Documentaries such as Seaspiracy have sparked global conversations regarding the environmental impacts of the fishing industry. While there is immense value in assessing how an industry as a whole can influence the environment, there is a risk that such generalizations can disregard nuances that individual species experience. In an attempt to ensure that the smallest of creatures are not overlooked... Read more.
Unpacking Canada’s emissions of product packaging
Product packaging and deliveries relate to huge business, employing millions of people while fulfilling our daily needs. Every consumer good, be it groceries, or clothing or footwear, or millions of other utility products, are wrapped and transported from one location to another.
Increased product packaging, and packaging materials, go hand-in-hand with an increased Ecological Footprint. Data from National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts for Canada help us to understand the trend in consumption of various packaging materials. Read more.
Who's driving the climate?
Transport has been the lifeline of human economy and society since the dawn of civilization. But what is the environmental cost of our intense transportation demands?
In 2018, global CO2 emissions from transportation (including transportation inside countries, as well as between countries, and for all purposes, including moving people and goods) resulted in a total of 8 billion metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide released into the environment. This accounted for around one-fifth of total global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Read more.
Pineapple Republic: The Growing Footprint of a Colonial Agricultural System in Costa Rica
Since its birth as a republic, export and cash crop based agriculture has been deeply rooted in Costa Rica’s economy, environment and culture. Economic dependence and a risky habituation to cash crops has led to a series of complex socio-economic and environmental issues.
Most have been related to problematic mono-cropping, human rights abuse and mass deforestation linked to transnational companies using the excuse of job creation as a Trojan horse. Read more.
The Implications and Trends of the Shark Industry
Did you know that the most valuable parts of a shark are their fins? The trade in shark fins is estimated to be worth 400-550 million USD annually and kills up to 73 million individual sharks.
Shark finning which is the practice of removing the fins of a shark and discarding its body at sea is driven by the high value placed on a shark’s fin. A bowl of shark fin soup can cost up to $100 which motivates some fishermen to cut the fins and discard the body which is bulky and less valuable. This practice uses only one to five percent of the shark. Read more.
The World’s Booming Appetite for Brazilian Beef since the New Millennium
The 2021 Edition of the National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts (NFAs) are useful in examining trends in beef exports from Brazil since the new millennium. From this investigation, it seems the world’s appetite for beef boomed as the Brazilian Amazon was being cleared for activities like agriculture and cattle ranching.
According to the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), most of the forest area lost in the Brazilian Amazon between the mid-1990s to the early 2000s was converted into pasture or grazing land. Read more.
