Calculating our Ecological Footprint - New York City

1 Calculating our Ecological Footprint Description: Background Information: Humans have a large impact on natural and built Footprints are marks we leave on the Earth. Our environments. In this lesson, students should Ecological Footprint is the measurement of our begin to understand how our choices affect the impact on the Earth based on the activities we planet. Students will compare behaviors to do every day. Driving a car for example, has a determine which have a lower carbon Footprint . bigger impact than riding a bicycle. Our diet can Then, students will measure their own Ecological have a particularly large impact on our Ecological Footprint using an online calculator based on Footprint .

2 For instance, one gram of beef their personal actions. produces 250 times the emissions of one gram of This is because the inputs that are required to produce these goods are vastly Objectives: different. Understand carbon and Ecological footprints Identify behaviors that can decrease human Energy is an important aspect of our Ecological impacts on the environment footprints. In today's economy, much of our Appreciate how daily choices have a energy is sourced from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels significant impact on our environment produce carbon dioxide through the process of combustion (hydrocarbon + oxygen = carbon Vocabulary: dioxide + water).

3 Carbon footprints are used to calculate the amount of carbon emitted from the Carbon Footprint , combustion, Ecological fossil fuels we use. Watch Fuse School's What Footprint , fossil fuels, renewable energy are Carbon Footprints? video for more information on how we can decrease our carbon footprints. Materials: Computers, laptops or tablets with internet While most of our energy comes from fossil access fuels, not all energy comes from carbon-based Copies of the Calculating our Carbon sources. This energy is known as renewable Footprint Worksheet printed for each energy.

4 Renewable energy can come from the student wind, sun, water, and biomass. Some examples 1 copy of the Calculating our Carbon of renewable energy include solar panels, Footprint Worksheet Answer Key hydroelectric dams, and wind turbines. Writing utensils Renewable energy releases insignificant amounts of carbon dioxide compared to fossil fuels. 1 Springer Nature Journal Article Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health . It is difficult to avoid the use of fossil fuels in our Part II: daily lives; however, we have the power to Introduce the concept of an Ecological significantly decrease this by simply shifting Footprint .

5 Discuss the factors that influence some of our daily habits. Some things, like the our Ecological Footprint and how the type of energy we use at home, are often out of environmental impacts of each range based our control, but there are many decisions we on greenhouse gas emissions: diet, energy make every day related to our footprints that we usage, housing, transportation, shopping might not be aware of. Being mindful of the habits, etc. transportation methods we use, the places we Using computers, allow students to calculate buy our goods from, and the many opportunities their own Ecological Footprint using the we have to conserve energy and water at home Ecological Footprint Calculator.

6 As students and at school are significant ways we can reduce explore this tool, encourage them to both our carbon and Ecological footprints. consider the ways in which their Footprint in NYC differs from people who live in rural or Method: suburban areas. Part I: Students will use the slide bars and multiple choice questions to select the options that Ask students to think about what is included best describe their lifestyles. in their carbon Footprint with an emphasis Have students write their results on the on energy and fossil fuels. Be sure to board.

7 Be sure to mention that the results compare and contrast the impacts of fossil are in two different measures. The first fuels to renewable energy. result is in number of Earths. This denotes Pass out the Calculating our Ecological how many planet Earths the world would Footprint worksheet. Instruct students to need if everyone had the same behavior as choose the answer that they believe will the person taking the quiz. A number greater have the smallest impact on the than 1 indicates that the Ecological environment (lowest carbon emissions). resources and services used are more than Allow students ample time to complete the the planet can regenerate.

8 As of 2018, worksheet. human behaviors would require As a class, review the answers to the approximately Earths to support worksheet. Use the answer key to discuss humanity's demand on Earth's resources. responses. Did students find it challenging to The second result is the Earth overshoot choose between actions? date. Earth Overshoot Day marks the date Ask students, which of our daily activities when humans have used more from nature were addressed most in the Carbon than Earth can renew in the entire year. In Footprint Quiz? Why? This encourages 2018, this day fell on August 1.

9 Discuss and students to discuss which actions have the interpret the results as a class. biggest environmental impact. Discussion: their changes impact their results. Discuss Which personal behaviors impact your the challenges that students may have carbon and Ecological footprints most? experienced (or not) and consider additional How does your energy use impact your changes they would like to make. Ecological Footprint ? Explore the Global Footprint Calculator What are the differences between Open Data Forum to see Ecological Footprint renewable and traditional energy forms?

10 Data from around the world and compare How can you alter your behavior to decrease the impacts of various countries. your footprints as an individual? As a school? Use the virtual Water Footprint Calculator Community? Identify some small and large with your students to determine personal scale changes and discuss the pathways for water usage. Discuss how water fits into our shifting behavior at each scale. Ecological Footprint ? How much water do we use every day? How can we decrease our daily water usage? Extension: Challenge students to retake the online quiz, but have students select answers with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection lowest Ecological Footprint .