ecological footprint
Noun
Meaning
ecological footprint (plural ecological footprints)
A measure of how much biologically productive land and water area an individual, population or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it generates using prevailing technology and resource management practices.
Coordinate term: carbon footprint
Synonyms
Examples
A hunk of beef raised on Scottish moorland has a very different ecological footprint from one created in an intensive feedlot using concentrated cereal feed, and a wild venison or rabbit casserole is arguably greener than a vegetable curry.
Ecological footprint calculation was the initial precursor in all foot printing calculations where there are quite a few in use today.