Sustainability Camp Curriculum

EXPLORING OUR ECO-FOOTPRINT

Time:     3 hrs (full block)
Place:    Tofino Botanical Gardens, outdoors or indoors

Overview

Each of us “consume” or use a piece of nature every day. We are dependent on natural resources - productive land to grow our food, build our homes, produce our energy, and to store our wastes. How much we take from nature depends on our daily habits – the things we do each day that help us satisfy our needs and wants. An ecological footprint estimates how much “nature” a lifestyles requires. It estimates productive land and water needed to support what we use and what we throw away, measured in hectares. Ecological footprints can be calculated for individuals, communities, and even countries, and there are several easy to use online tools to estimate these (see www.myfootprint.org or www.mec.ca ). With the ecological footprint concept, the more we consume and throw out, the more natural resources we use – and the more our footprint grows. If the ecological footprint indicates that more natural resources are used than the Earth supplies, than this is not a sustainable lifestyle. For example, the average Canadian requires 7.8 hectares and the average American requires 12.4 hectares of productive Earth in order to support their current lifestyles. Based on current human population and bioproductive space, nature can provide, and sustain, only about 2 hectares of land for every person in the world. If everyone lived like people in North America, we would need at least 2 more planets!

In this block, students will learn about the ecological footprint concept. They will calculate their own footprints, reflect on it, and find ways to alter their lifestyle to reduce their ecological load. They will find ways to reduce ecological footprints of various aspects of society and take action by writing a letter to representatives of various institutions about how ecological footprints can be reduced.

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

• Grade 7 Science: Assess the requirements for sustaining healthy local ecosystems; Evaluate human impacts on local ecosystems.
• Grade 6 and 7 Physical Education: Participate safely in activities in a natural or alternative setting; an outdoor experience; Follow rules, routines and procedures of safety in a variety of activities.
• Grade 6 and 7 Social Studies: Identify and clarify a problem, issue or inquiry.
• Grade 7 Language Arts: Create a written communication to record their views, opinions, values and beliefs; Develop strategies for resolving conflict and solving problems.
• Grade 6 Personal Planning: Analyse factors that affect global health issues.
• Grade 7 Personal Planning: Practice responsible decision-making.

Objectives

• Students will be able to assess the effects of different lifestyle choices on the local and global environments.
• Students will calculate and reflect on their own ecological footprint using an on-line (or print) Ecological Footprint Calculator.
• Students will identify ways in which different sectors of society can reduce impacts on the environment.
• Students will take action by writing a letter to a government official, industry representative, or other institution on how that agency will reduce their ecological footprint.
• Students will engage on a solo experience in the gardens.

Materials

Part 1 – Explaining Ecological Footprint

• two large apples

Part 2 – Calculating our Eco-footprints

• 4-5 computers set up for students to calculate their ecological footprints, or photocopies of “Personal Eco Footprint Calculator” (print copy in facilitator file; from Sea to Sky)
• pencils
• might be handy to have a pocket calculator too!

Part 3 – Reducing our Eco-footprints, Pen Power

• Lined paper (at least one page per student)
• envelopes (one per student)
• pens or pencils

Procedure

 PART 1 – Explaining Ecological Footprint (~15 min)
-- with thanks, this demonstration has been adapted from “What is sustainability” activity, http://www.kidsfootprint.org/lessonplans.htm .

1. Ask students if they have ever heard of the concept of eco-footprint. What do you think it means? Explain that the ecological footprint is calculated in amount of land (use the overview information above or other knowledge you may have).
2. Use the following Allegorical Apple activity to demonstrate the amount of “bioproductive” land on Earth. This demonstration shows that, despite how large the Earth may seem, the amount of natural resources available for people to use are limited and we must use them carefully.
1. Present a good-sized apple to the group and explain that in this allegorical exercise, the apple represents the Earth.
2. Cut the Earth into four pieces and discard three of the pieces representing saltwater oceans, 75% of the earth.
3. Slice the remaining piece of Earth in half and discard one piece representing land, such as deserts, which is inhospitable to people.
4. Slice the remaining 1/8 of the Earth into four sections and set aside three of the sections representing areas too rocky, too steep, or too cold to produce food.
5. Carefully peel the skin off the remaining 1/32 slice of the earth. This represents the surface of the earth, the earth’s crust with its topsoil which humanity depends on. Explain that the earth’s topsoil is only about five feet deep and produces a relatively fixed amount of food. Over farming and erosion take away 24 billion tons of topsoil per year. Each inch of top soil requires 100 years to form.
3. Explain that there are 51 million hectares of surface on Earth, but that 12 billion (10 billion land and 2 billion water) are biologically productive, therefore capable of supporting human demand for resources and treatment of waste. Ensure students understand this.
4. Ask students how many people are on Earth (6+ billion and growing!). “So, if we have 12 billion hectares of land and 6 billion people, how many hectares do we get each?” – 2 hectares each! Explain that if we are to share the Earth’s resources equitably and have a sustainable lifestyle, our eco-footprint must be 2 hectares or less. Use the outdoor space you are in to help students envision how small 2 hectares are.
5. If someone points it out, follow their comment/question, otherwise at this stage, ask students “Now, are humans the only creatures on the Earth who need food, shelter, energy?” No, we share the Earth with 10 million other species who also need bioproductive land. So that means our eco-footprints should actually be less than 2 hectares if we are going to leave any land for other 10 million species besides us.

PART 2 – Calculating our Eco-footprints (~45 - 60 min)

1. If possible, use the eco-footprint calculator online www.myfootprint.org.  This will only work if you have a few computers though – you could possibly set up some lap tops and have kids work in groups and each calculate their eco-footprint. Otherwise, use the printed “Personal Eco Footprint Calculator”. I find the online one easier and much more fun, but the printed one will force kids to do some math!
2. Have students share what their eco-footprint is in pairs.
3. Then, as a group, discuss how students felt when they learned how big their eco-footprint is. Is it big? Why? What are the “big ticket items” that make their footprints large?
4. Take a few random eco-footprint numbers and quickly calculate how many earths would be needed if everyone lived that lifestyle. Use:

NUMBER OF EARTHS NEEDED = ECOFOOTPRINT OF INDIVIDUAL
                                                      FAIR EARTH SHARE (2 hectares)

So that is: X = 10 (ex) = 5 earths!
                        2

5. Ask students what the problem with this is. Discuss.

PART 3 – Reducing our Ecological Footprint (~20 min)

1. To start thinking about how individuals can reduce their ecological footprints, explain that students will go on a solo out in the gardens. Have them to bring their journals with them, and tools for writing, drawing etc. They are going to find a place alone (where they can’t see or hear anyone else), and spend 10 minutes reflecting and brainstorming on ideas to reduce their own ecological footprints.
2. Help students find a solo location – which may take several minutes to place the entire group in their own private places. That is ok - this is also a time for them to be in the gardens by themselves.
3. Ask teachers and parent chaperones to help ensure students are focused on the task and not disturbing other students. They should have a good 10 minutes of solo time.
4. Explain that when they hear this sound [whatever loud holler sound you want], then it is time to return to The Ecolodge.
5. Debrief the solo after the break….

Take a break (~15min)

Reducing Eco-footprints continued… and Pen Power (~60+min)

6. Debrief the solo by starting with students getting into pairs and sharing their ideas on how to reduce their eco-footprints.
7. Bring the students together and have people share ideas with the whole group. How can we reduce our energy impacts? How can we reduce our eco-footprint from food? What about waste? Transportation?
8. Discuss the difference between “needs” and “wants”. What is something we need? What is something we want? Are these the same? Have students come up with examples of needs vs. wants. Do you need or want food? Do you need or want to fly in an airplane? Do you need or want to wear leather?
9. Also ask how the solo experience was for them. Was this a good way to brainstorm? How was it being in a spot with only yourself for awhile? What did you notice?
10. Bring the discussion a little broader – from individual, to community, to country: how can we reduce the ecological footprint of our communities, of Canada?
11. Explain that you would like students to now use their “Pen Power” and write a letter to a government official, business, corporation, industry, or any other institution.  Discuss the importance of writing letters as a key aspect of being a responsible and active citizen. It is our role to tell government, industry, our community what we think about problems, issues and solutions. One way to do this is to write a letter to the appropriate decision maker.
12. Help students choose the right person, government, or institution – eg. for community issues they could write to the Mayor and Council, for logging issues they could write to a logging company or the government, for food concerns they could write to a major food producer or to the agricultural ministry. (You will need to look up the exact contacts online afterwards, or if some students are done early you can get them to find the address using the computer in the library).
13. The theme of the letter is to ask the recipient how they are going to reduce the ecological footprint of their institution, and for the student to make some suggestions. Ask the students to explain in their letters what the ecological footprint concept is and why they are concerned about it. Have the students make a request of the person, government, or institution. Use the letter writing tips below, and remind students that these are tips for whenever they may write letters in the future on issues they are concerned about.

TIPS FOR WRITING EFFECTIVE LETTERS

• State your purpose for writing.

• Make a very specific request.

• Tell them about what you have been learning about, or about field trips you have done, and how you feel about the issue you are writing about.

• Make sure the letter goes to the right person. Should it go to anyone else as well? You can cc the letter to others.

• Be honest, and include only necessary facts and opinions.

• Be concise, brief, and organized. It would be nice if your letter fits on one page.

• Be courteous and polite. Respect goes a long way.

• Ask for a reply. Ensure your correct mailing address is on the letter and envelope.

• Check your letter before sending it: edit, revise, check for spelling.

14. Hand out envelopes, and collect the letters from students. Ensure they have put their return home addresses on the letter and envelope. Fill out the receivers’ addresses as the letters are completed, or look the addresses up later. You can mail the letters after camp is over.
15. You may have some extra time (~15-20min), depending on how long it takes students to write their letters. You could use this time to have students look up addresses on the computer or phone book. As students will likely finish writing their letters at different times, you could also ask the teacher or parent chaperone to take students into the gardens to explore each others’ solo places, or you could have a fellow facilitator start a game with the students who are done. See the list of games and initiatives printed for ideas.

* Camouflage is a good one because it would work well in the gardens and players can join in as the game continues: In the gardens, the wolf finds a place to stand and calls “camouflage!”. S/he then covers his/her eyes and counts to 20. Everyone else must find a hiding place where they can see the wolf. The wolf may only rotate in place while searching for the hiding players. If the wolf sees a player, the player is out. At the end of 2 minutes the wolf calls “Fingers up” and hidden players must try and see the number of fingers being held up by the wolf. After about 2 more minutes, the wolf calls “come out”. Whoever has not been caught stands up where they are, holding up correct number of fingers. The closest player to the wolf who was not caught and has the correct number of fingers is the winner and becomes the wolf.