Engineering for a small planet. . .

1. Engineering for a small planet. . .

2. The problem Environment Water/ food Energy

4. Some environmental metrics Carbon footprint Life cycle assessment Cradle to grave Sustainable development Ecological footprint Environmental impact Water footprint

5. World water distribution

6. Water scarcity In 1995, 166 million people lived in 18 countries where the average supply of fresh water was less than 1,000 cubic meters a year—the amount deemed necessary to satisfy basic needs for food, drinking water, and hygiene. By 2050, water availability per person is projected to fall below the 1,000-cubic-meter benchmark in some 39 countries. By then, 1.7 billion people will in effect be suffering from hydrological poverty.

7. Water footprint

8. Clean water access

9. While the world's population tripled in the 20th century, the use of renewable water resources has grown six-fold. Within the next fifty years, the world population will increase by another 40 to 50 %.

11. Water needed for fuel production

12. Water consumption by power plants

13. Four hours of free electricity per day has allowed subsistence farmers to dangerously lower the water table in Punjab. Pumping Punjab dry (IEEE Spectrum) 6/2010

17. Cradle to grave CO2 emissions

18. A new study by Evan Mills of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that indoor Cannabis production has a very large carbon footprint. If you’re too far gone to read the study, man, then, like, just look at the picture:

20. treehugger.com

24. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature claims that the human footprint has exceeded the biocapacity (the available supply of natural resources) of the planet by 20%.

26. If we’re all asleep at the switch. . .

27. Global mean sea levels