Section 1: Introducing Ecological and Carbon Footprints

Ecological and carbon footprints place emphasis on the environmental dimension of sustainable development, rather than the economic or social. This reduces complexity and in doing so provides a useful tool for communicating sustainable development to a diverse audience with varying degrees of sustainability awareness.

Once there is a fundamental realisation that personal lifestyle choices have an impact on the natural environment, the wider aspects of the concept can begin to be explained and the interdependence of the three dimensions explored.