David Schaller

Every living person makes an “ecological footprint” on the environment through consuming resources and discarding waste, writes David Schaller in the following viewpoint. Schaller briefly examines this concept and writes that people in America and other developed nations have a much larger impact on the environment than people in developing nations such as India. Responsibility for global environmental problems lies more with the consumption patterns of rich nations rather than population growth in poor nations, he concludes. Schaller is a sustainable development expert with the Denver (Colorado) Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How does Schaller define “ecological footprint”"
2. How many acres of productive land are needed to support the average North American lifestyle, according to Schaller"
3. What big...