Climate change Learning Quest: Define

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.