The following is an excerpt from the most recent edition of the World Wildlife Fund’s eNewsletter:

Human footprint too big for nature

The world’s natural ecosystems are being degraded at a rate unprecedented in human history according to WWF’s 2006 Living Planet Report. It shows that on current projections we will be using two planets’ worth of natural resources by 2050 - if those resources have not run out by then.

The Living Planet Report is WWF’s periodic update on the state of the world’s ecosystems. It describes the changing state of global biodiversity and the pressure on the biosphere arising from human consumption of natural resources.

The Living Planet Report includes information on both the “Living Planet Index” (”the health of the planet’s ecosystems”) and the “Ecological Footprint” (”the extent of human demand on these ecosystems”).

While the report is certainly grim, the good news is that there are a number of ways that we can reduce our demands on the ecosystem - that is, reduce the size of our footprints. Many of these focus on the “3 R’s”: reduce, reuse, and recycle. In addition to regifting your unwanted stuff via Freecycle, the WWF recommends sending eCards versus paper greeting cards, using rechargeable batteries, and buying products with less packaging, to name but a few examples.

You can view the WWF’s complete list, “How you can help the environment in your daily life,” here.

Also, if you’d like to calculate the size of YOUR ecological footprint, check out myfootprint.org.