The ecological footprint is an indicator that allows us to measure the demand of man on the planet's resources and the impact that a certain way or way of life can have on it.

The ecological footprint is a term unknown to many people, however, its meaning is really important for the preservation of the planet and each of its ecosystems.

Knowing our ecological footprint is key to knowing if our way of life and the type of resource consumption we do are compatible with the "biocapacity" of the planet. For this there are tools to calculate, for example, the carbon footprint.

We show you the factors that you can take into account when calculating the ecological footprint.

The factors that should be taken into account are:

• Population growth
• The loss of fertile soil
• Deforestation
• The depletion of resources
• The increase in consumption

Taking into account the meaning and the factors that affect when calculating the ecological footprint, it is time to explain how you should perform this calculation:

First the dimension of the study is delimited. This will allow you to decide if you want to study the ecological footprint of a person, a family, a city or a country.

Then the consumption of energy, food, raw materials and land extension of that unit of population chosen is calculated. The most difficult thing is to know the land area necessary to produce the result of the previous step, for this standard tables are used.

Finally, all surfaces are added and the result is divided by the number of inhabitants or the selected unit.