Explore Step 2.3: Making Connections

Suggested Subject Area: Environmental Education/Literacy

Purpose
To provide students with opportunities to:

• Discuss ways greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced at the school
  
• Discuss ways we can adapt to changes in our climate
  
• Develop the skills of discussion, negotiation, critical thinking and analysis of visual material.
  

Preparation
You will need:

• Access to the Internet or a colour print out of an image of a possible sustainable school from the second suggested internet site
  

Procedure
Our carbon footprint is a measure of the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, caused by our daily activities, for example:

• Using energy at school and for transport
  
• Producing the food we eat and the goods and services we use
  
• Disposing of waste products
  

Introduce students to ways greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced, e.g. reduce electricity use; reduce our use of vehicles that burn fuel and reduce using products that require fuel and electricity to produce.

View the You Tube video Food Water Energy For all For Ever at http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/ (below)

Climate change adaption involves taking action to adjust to, or respond to the effects of changes in climate. Talk with students about the many things we can do to adapt to changes in our climate.

Discussion
Discuss how each of the actions, (both mitigation and adaptation) described requires one person to make a difference.

Focus on activities that emit sources of greenhouse gases from a class or a school source. Ask students to brainstorm a list of ways greenhouse gas emissions are being produced at school and released into the air. Compile these onto a large class list and classify.

Follow up
Working in small groups, ask students to view the image of a possible school that is tackling climate change and living sustainably at http://www.sustainableschools.act.gov.au/

Ask students to share things that they can do to tackle climate change at their school that they see represented in the graphics. For example:

• Ride a bike or walk to school
  
• Use window blinds (if available) to cut down on the heating effects of the sun
  
• Compost green waste and food scraps
  
• If possible, work away from direct sunlight or sources of radiant heat in summer
  
• Refuse, reduce, re-use and recycle
  
• Plant trees and shrubs to absorb (sequester) carbon
  
• Grow your own food
  
• Raise the issue with the teachers or, if you can with the school Principal.

Next - STEP 2.4: Explore continued