Humans play an important role when it comes to the sustainability of the environment, our actions now can have repercussions in the future. Learning how humans leave their imprint on the environment will help us become more aware of our actions and how they manipulate the world around us. Human beings influence the precarious balance of the environment; the consequences of tipping the scales will be felt by generations to come. Finding out what your ecological footprint is and how your actions affect the environment is a good place to start if you're concerned about ecological sustainability. Ecological Footprint An ecological footprint is the measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystem. “Think of a terrarium: How big would the glass have to be so that the city underneath could sustain itself solely on the ecosystem within (Wackernagel, 2006)?” Human beings have a continuous material dependence on nature. We rely on the ecosystem to feed us, provide us with the air we need to breathe, absorb our waste, and maintain overall life support. “If everyone lived like North Americans, it would take at least two more planet Earths to meet our needs (Wackernagel, 2006).” Humans have adapted and changed their surroundings to survive and to make life more comfortable and convenient. There are many ways in which humans have adapted their surroundings. “Since the Industrial Revolution of the 1700s, human activities, such as the burning of oil, coal and gas, and deforestation, have increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In 2005, global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide were 35% higher than before the industrial revolution” (Carbon Dioxide, 2011).How agriculture plays a roleBelieve that...... half the paper... ...aware of what types of fertilizers they are using. It is necessary to find alternative components to replace the current constituents used for fertilizers and energy. If action is not taken now, if substitutes are not used, the ecosystem will continue its decline. What kinds of dilemmas are left for future generations? A transformation is necessary for the survival of the earth and its inhabitants. Don't erase the ecosystem so the next generation can restore it. Works Cited Carbon dioxide. (2011, April 15). Retrieved October 28, 2011, from Climate Change - Greenhouse Gas Emissions: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/co2.htmlWackernagel, W.R. (2006). Our ecological footprint: reducing human impact on the Earth. New Company Publishers.Wright, D. F. (2011). Environmental sciences towards a sustainable future. San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc.