Students predict numbers related to the Ecological Footprint, and then go out and count factors in the field to check their predictions.
Handheld activities:
Use Count-it <http://palmguy.surfhere.net/> or the equivalent to count items related to transportation.
Cars, Bikes, Buses, trucks
Passengers
Size (sm, middle, big)
Luxury cars
Discover the average number of passangers per car, the ratio of luxury cars to all others.
Use Count-it <http://palmguy.surfhere.net/> or the equivalent to count items related to energy.
Count:
People in home,
House size,
Green electricity
Energy efficient appliances,
Questions to investigate include:
1. What is the average traffic pattern at a certain location? How does it change by time of day, or day of the week?
2. What appears to be the most polluting vehicle in traffic/ the least? How might you measure this?
3. How efficiently are cars being used? For example, how many passengers travel in each car?
4. What is the
ratio of luxury cars to total traffic? What is a good definition
of a luxury car? What
is the ratio of bicycles to total traffic? How much energy does
one save by using a bicycle and not a car?
References http://www.lead.org/leadnet/ecofootprint/
Indicators:
Websites-for indicators
http://Sustainable.Advocate.net/99indicators/default.htm --San Mateo California sustainability indicators-template for sustainability
http://www.ficus.usf.edu/default.htm --USF sustainability indicators
http://www.subjectmatters.com/indicators/index.html --Indicators of sustainability from Maureen Hart.
http://www.scn.org/sustainable -Sustainable Seattle-indicators and information about sustainability.
http://www.csf.concord.org -Concord Consortium with information about sustainability and links to other sites.
http://iisd.ca -Canadian Sustainable Development. Indicators and ways they implement sustainability.
http://www.rprogress.org -Redefining progress. Has sustainability indicators.
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