การฟัง TOEFL

🎧 บทถอดเสียง

Listen to part of a lecture in an environmental science class. Professor: Today we're going to talk about the concept of 'ecological footprint' and its implications. An ecological footprint measures the amount of biologically productive land and water area required to produce the resources an individual, population, or activity consumes and to absorb the waste it generates, given prevailing technology. For example, a typical city dweller in a developed country might have a footprint of several hectares, while someone in a rural area of a developing nation might have a footprint of less than one hectare. However, these footprints are not just about land. They also include energy use, food consumption, and waste production. One key point is that many countries have a footprint that exceeds their own biological capacity, meaning they rely on resources from other regions. This is called 'overshoot'. According to recent data, global overshoot occurs around August each year, meaning that by that date, humanity has used more from nature than Earth can regenerate in the entire year. This is a serious concern because it suggests we are depleting natural capital. To address this, some propose reducing consumption, while others advocate for technological innovations to increase efficiency. But as we'll see, both approaches have limitations. Now, let's examine a case study...