ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Computer Lab Research 10-24-13

You will need to write some information from your research today on paper (instructions about things you need to write down will appear in green).  The paper must be placed in the section for Seminar in the rings of your BINDER! Begin by putting a title, date, and name on the paper you will be using today.
We will begin today by learning about "Ecological Footprint." Read and examine the images below.  For more detailed information, also see this website: footprint network.org-overview

Part A: In a complete sentence or two, explain what it means that the United states is number two on this list.  What does this say about our country and the people in it?  Do you think (just guess) your footprint is higher or lower than the national average?

Now go to the ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR (click here).

Take the Eco-footprint quiz and find out your estimated Ecological footprint. 

***Do not close the tab with your quiz results until you are done with Part D, or you will have to do it over!***

The results will look like this:

**IMPORTANT STEP! Save a screen clipping of your quiz to your student drive.**

Part B: Write out and complete the following sentence: If everyone lived like me, we'd need ____ (fill in your score, for the above quiz it would be 4.5) Planet Earths to provide enough resources.

• Describe what this means to you.  
• How does it make you feel?  
• What questions come to your mind?  

On your quiz results, look at the bar chart on the bottom right.  It separates your footprint by the types of resources and shows how much of each you use.  For me, "Energy Land" is by far the highest, with almost five acres.  Look at your highest category, then click on "edit your footprint" to the right.  Try to make one change to your answer on the quiz that would make the biggest increase or decrease on that number.  

Part C: Describe what answer you changed on the quiz.  How much did it change your footprint? (example: I increased my air travel to the max and my footprint went from 4.5 to 5.6! or: I selected all local food and went from 4.5 to 4.2)

Click on the "explore scenarios button." Choose one or more options of everyday things you can change to lower your ecological footprint. Then answer the following questions.

Part D: Which "explore scenarios" option seems most achievable to you?  Would you be willing to change your lifestyle to lower your ecological footprint? Why or why not?

Now click on the following link to find the ENERCITIES game.

Click on the "play game" tab at the top and then select the British flag to play in English (Spanish is also available).  

Part E: Write down your score for these categories:

1. Overall Score:
2. Economy (Euro sign)
3. Environment (tree)
4. Wellbeing (smiley)
5. Victory points (star)