Abstract
This chapter employs a case study in an investigation of Costa Rica’s national Ecological Footprint and biocapacity. Sampling farmers in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor as the study area, this chapter relays the methods used, including surveys based on the Footprint Calculator with follow-up interviews. In this way, it is possible to discern the regional environmental performance of these farmers and learn from them (at household–regional levels) how to improve their environmental performance. This contributes to an understanding of cross-scalar variations in the environmental performance of the Ecological Footprint and biocapacity. It also allows for a critical approach to the Footprint Calculator used to survey at these scales based on the online survey.
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Appendix 4.1: Fieldwork Datasheet
Appendix 4.1: Fieldwork Datasheet
(2) Demographics: (2 min) Participant age and gender | Age: <30/30–60/>60 years old Gender: Male/Female |
Are you an owner or tenant farmer? | Owner/tenant |
Years at farm | <1/1–10/>10 years |
Farm size | <10/10–20/>20 hectares |
Annual income | <US$10,000/US$10–40,000/>US$40,000 |
(3) footprint calculator : (15 minutes) ALIMENTOS 1. Con qué frecuencia comes productos pecuarios? | Nunca/Ocasionalemente/Frecuente/Muy Frecuente (carne roja, cerdo, pollo, pescado, huevos, productos lácteos) |
- carne de vaca o cordero? | ___% |
- Cerdo? | ___% |
- Pollo? | ___% |
- Pescado o mariscos? | ___% |
- Huevos, queso y/o productos lácteos? | ___% |
2. Cuántos de los alimentos que comes son no procesados, no envasados o cultivados localmente? | Ningunos ___% Todos (menos que 320 kilómetros = km/200 milles de distancia) |
- Qué cantidad de tu dieta se compone dealimentos frescos, sin embalaje? | ___% |
- Cuánto de tu dieta es cultivada or producida localmente? | ___% (a menos de 320 km/200 millas de distancia) |
ALOJAMIENTO 3. Qué tipo de vivienda describe tu hogar? | Independiente, sin agua corriente/ Independiente, con agua corriente/ Departamento de varios pisos/duplex, casa adosada, o edificio con 2–4 unidades/ Condominio de lujo |
4. Con qué material está construida tu casa? | Paja o bamboo/Madera/Ladrillo o cemento/adobe/Acero o otro |
5. Cuántas personas viven en tu hogar? | Solo yo (1)/… 10+ |
- Cuál es el tamaño de tu casa? | Pequeñtio (5 m2 o 50 pies cuadrados)/Pequeño 16 m2 o 175 pies cuadrados/Mediano 49 m2 o 523 pies cuadrados/Grande 141 m2 o 1520 pies cuadrados/Gigante 465 m2 o 5008 pies cuadrados |
6. Tienes electricidad? | No/Si |
- Qué tan eficiente es tu casa en el consumo de energía? | Poco = Muy ineficiente/por debajo del promedio/Promedio/por encima del promedio/Diseño centrado en la eficiencia = Muy |
7. Qué porcentaje de la electricidad de tu casa proviene de Fuentes renovables? | Bajo ___% alto (directamente o mediante la compra de energía limpia) |
8. Comparado con tus Vecinos, cuánta basura generas? | Mucho menos/Menos/Igual/Más/mucho más |
- Qué es lo más parecido a tus compras mensuales de ropa nueva, calzado y/o artículos deportivos? | Mínimo a ninguno/no mucho/Promedio/por encima del promedio/mucho |
- con qué frecuencia compras una nueva? ELECTRODOMÉSTICOS | Nunca, raramente/Infrecuentemente/Ocasionalmente/A menudo/Muy a menudo |
ELECTRÓNICA Y GADGETS | Nunca, raramente/Infrecuentemente/Ocasionalmente/A menudo/Muy a menudo |
LIBROS, REVISTAS Y PERIÓDICOS | Nunca, raramente/Infrecuentemente/Ocasionalmente/A menudo/Muy a menudo |
- Qué se acerca más a sus compras anuales de muebles Para el hogar? | Mínimo a ninguno/no mucho/Promedio/por encima del promedio/mucho |
- Cuánto reciclas? PAPEL | Poco o nada/Algunos/Mitad/Más/Todo |
EL PLASTICO | Poco o nada/Algunos/Mitad/Más/Todo |
MOVILIDAD 9. Qué tan lejos viajas en automóvil o motocicleta cada semana? (Como conductor o pasajero) | - Automóvil: Cero (0 km o 0 milles) … Muy Legos (800 km o 500 milles) - Ciclomotor: Cero (0 km o 0 milles) … Muy Legos (800 km o 500 milles) |
10. Qué distancia viajas en transporte público cada semana? (autobús, tren, etc.) | No tan lejos (0 km or 0 milles) … Muy lejos (800 km o 500 milles) |
- Qué distancia viajas cada semana por tren? | 0 km o 0 milles … 800 km o 500 milles |
- Qué distancia viajas cada semana por autobús? | 0 km o 0 milles … 800 km o 500 milles |
11. Qué distancia viajas por avión cada año? | Nada (0 horas) … mucho (200 horas) |
Results: | Earth overshoot day: No. earths: Component : Crop land ___/grazing land ___/Forest land ___/fishing grounds ___/built-up land ___/carbon ___ Category: Food ___/Housing ___/mobility ___/goods ___/services ___ EF : cF: |
(4) follow-up questions: (5 minutes) 1. What type of crops do you grow, and in what proportion? 2. How much do you grow in a year? 3. Where do you sell your crops? 4. Are you participating in fair Trade or organic farming? - do you use fertilisers or pesticides? 5. Do you benefit from payments for ecosystem services? | |
(5) wrap-up (3 min) - have you ever been approached before to complete a survey or an interview? If so, how many times and when? - do you have any questions or comments to add? |
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Thornbush, M.J. (2021). Case Study – Methods. In: The Ecological Footprint as a Sustainability Metric. SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62666-2_4
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