Measuring environmental impact at the neighbourhood level

We propose that community assessments of environmental impact are increasingly more relevant to planners and policy makers when reported at finer scales of analysis. Using the Town of Oakville, Ontario, as an example, we calculate neighbourhood level ecological footprint values for 241 neighbourhoods. Ecological footprint results range from 5.4 global hectares per capita to 15.2 global hectares per capita, with an average ecological footprint for Oakville of 9.0 global hectares per capita. Our results highlight variability in energy and material flows within a community, providing planners and policy makers detailed information to prioritise programme delivery, allocate limited resources, and support policy development. The lower range of neighbourhood ecological footprint values suggests a potential footprint floor for Oakville of around 5 hectares per capita. The notion of a footprint floor has implications for setting community footprint targets and understanding the magnitude of change needed for significant ecological footprint reductions.