How can we use energy more sustainably?

Define · Locate · Select · Organise · Present · Evaluate Define the task The Scenario Daily we hear about climate change and sustainable resource use but it is hard to know just how small changes in our lifestyle will make any difference to Australia and to the rest of the world. Background Each day we consume water, food and energy in meeting our needs and wants. The impact on the earth producing these resources is measured as our 'ecological footprint' - the amount of land needed to provide for all your water, food, clothing and energy needs. The more we use the bigger our footprint. The earth can sustain a footprint of 1.8 hectares for its current population but some people are using far more than this. The consequences are that the earth is heating up, climate related hazards such as drought, flood and bushfire are affecting more people. The people living in coastal communities, often the poor, who have contributed little to greenhouse gas emissions, are affected first and worst. In this Global Learning Quest you will research how different lifestyles have different environmental impacts on the earth. In groups you will take on a new identity based on lifestyle. Your team will learn about factors which contribute to climate change and consider their response. You will present these in an engaging way to convince others in your class help answer the Global Question: How can we use energy more sustainably? Perspectives on the Global Question Form groups to take on one of the roles described below. These people live in a location and town similar to yours. You will need to consider the role and define details such as the size of your family and what the description means for your daily life. Small foot You try to minimise your ecological footprint by limiting your consumption of water, eating mainly vegetarian meals of fresh food, grown locally. You try to reduce your waste by limiting your purchasing of clothes and electronic equipment (phones, televisions, computers, cameras, media players). You live in a medium sized home with your family. You go to school and have holidays in your local area travelling mainly by foot or bicycle. Common foot You eat a mix of meat and vegetarian meals with variety of processed and unprocessed foods locally grown and imported. You try to compost and recycle the waste this generates but you still have a bin full of rubbish each week. Your family is able to spread out around the house as there is plenty of room for you to enjoy television and computer games. Your parents have to drive you to school as it is some distance from home and you enjoy a major holiday in distant places each year. Big foot You love parties - often inviting many people for dinner and catering with interesting, imported food including expensive meats and fish. You live in a large house with many electrical appliances. You have a large car to travel the long distance from home to school and travel to holidays by plane. Locate Background http://api.edna.edu.au/search.rssqt=climate+change+background&edna.sector=35758&showsource=false Taking action http://api.edna.edu.au/search.rss?qt=climate+change+action&edna.sector=35758&showsource=false Select information Footprint groups What is 'your' ecological footprint? Is this sustainable use of earth's resources? General questions What does ecological footprint mean? How do water, food, resource and energy use contribute to your footprint? How do the ecological footprints of different lifestyles vary? How do the ecological footprints of different countries vary? How do different energy sources impact on the way of life of communities, the environment and the economy? What is 'sustainable energy' use? How does unsustainable energy use affect the environment, communities and ecomomy? How might people share natural resources more fairly? What are the costs and benefits of these changes? What stops people making changes to their lifestyle to protect the environment? Organise Discuss your role so you can respond to questions about your energy use through the consumption of food, goods, power for home and travel. Fill out the ecological footprint quiz according to your role. Explore different how different lifestyles create different ecological footprints. List your role's response to the issues of sustainable energy use. Fill out a consequences chart for the changes you in your role will make. Create a formal response using the presentation suggestions. Include background information about the issues and impacts on people around the world as well as your plan for the future. Collate images, graphics and maps from the websites and other sources that will help you promote the changes you suggest for your peers. Identify any further research you need to undertake to support your answer to the global question: How can we use energy more sustainably? Present Produce a visual and oral presentation for a TV forum appearance. Argue convincingly for the sort of change you are advocating using supporting evidence. OR Make a poster or advertisement outlining suggestions for change and how they will contribute to a more sustainable way of life OR Record a podcast of the changes you are able to make and the possible impacts. Evaluate Individually and as a team reflect on what you have learned about energy use. Also reflect how you have worked with each other as members of a team to complete the project.   High Medium Low Collectinginformation       Ability to gather relevant information Used a large number of appropriate resources to gather information that was important and related to the questions Used a variety of resources and collected information that was generally useful Used only one or two resources and did not select the key points to answer the questions Ability to use information to support a particular perspective Able to develop an understanding of a particular point of view about the issue and support this well with information gathered Presented a key aspect of a particular point of view about the issue and provided some information to support it Formed opinion with only limited use of the information gathered Working as a team       Ability to work with others in a group Listened carefully to others, shared own information and supported others to express their point of view and keep the group working together well Listened to others and made some comments to support the group to work together Listened to some people but did not always encourage others to contribute their ideas Presenting information       Ability to present information with rationale Presented the key points with supportive evidence Supported the key points with some evidence Presented some key points in a short manner Taking action       Ability to apply learning by considering impacts of own lifestyle on climate change Able to explain ecological footprint and suggest ways to decrease personal footprint Able to explain how personal lifestyle contributes to size of ecological footprint Able to ask questions about ecological footprints

Learning outcome : Students will examine ecological footprints of various lifestyles to deepen their understanding of the environmental, economic and social and changes needed to live sustainably in light of increased global warming.   Learning Areas: Geography Science SOSE/HSIE   Year levels: Lower secondary   Duration: Minimum of four 45-minute lessons   Tools needed: access to the Internet, reference material atlas, spreadsheet.