Patterns+in+resource+consumption

Patterns in resource consumption


 * Ecological footprint:**

1. Get into groups of 4ish? 2. Go to []or [] and select ‘eco-footprint’ from the resources menu and choose a different nationality and ‘lifestyle’ for each person to represent from the interactive map, eg a subsistence farmer in India, a factory worker in China, a company executive in Switzerland, etc. try to have 2 contrasting people from the same country, eg a movie star in Hollywood and a ‘environmental’ computer programmer from Seattle. 3. Select your country and complete the ecological footprint questions. 4. Calculate the ecological footprint for your person. 5. Jot down the results and compare the data. What conclusions can you reach? [] has rank of countries with data? 6. Go to []. You can look at individual countries, but open the 2010 data tables from the bottom of the page and answer the following questions:

a) Explain what the term ‘ecological footprint’ means?

b) Which countries have the lowest and highest ecological footprints? Are you surprised? Why are their footprints so different?

c) New Zealand and the USA have similar ecological footprints. What is the ecological deficit for each country? Why are they so different?

d) Which country in the table has the ‘best’ ecological deficit and which has the ‘worst’?

e) What is the ‘total ecological footprint’ (footprint x population) for Singapore, China, USA, Canada, India and New Zealand?

f) Look at the second sheet “global time series” and compare the changes in total ecological footprint and total biocapacity since 1961.

g) How has the Ecological Footprint to Biocapacity ratio changed? What is the significance of the ratio since 1980?

h) What are your conclusions after this introduction to the topic? Write down 6-8 statements.


 * Extension: What is the relationship between ecological footprint and carrying capacity?

@http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/6080074.stm good graphs and maps of world patterns of resource consumption/eco footprint

**Oil production and consumption**

[] = Experts examine Geopolitics of oil []

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**Examine the changing importance of other energy sources: **

 Use the ‘energy source data' file to draw pie charts fo: a) 3 High Human Development countries: Sweden, USA and UAE; b) 3 Medium Human Development countries: China, Iran and Nepal c) 2 Low Human Development countries: Nigeria and Ethiopia.

d) Comment on what your pie-charts show.

Look at [] in order to add any information on any of the sources given, or to add other alternative energy sources.

 Have a look at [] = infographic on population and resources

@http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/oil-shortage-a-myth-says-industry-insider-842778.html There is more than twice as much oil in the ground as major producers say, according to a former industry adviser who claims there is widespread misunderstanding of the way proven reserves are calculated.

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@http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2043724,00.html biofuels article

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 * Evaluate a strategy at a local or national scale aimed at reducing the consumption of one resource. **

Use your research to identify a specific example aimed at reducing the consumption of one resource. Also make sure that you evaluate the strategy. Is it working? How well? Can you give data to support your evaluation?

Water in California may be a good choice? Try::

[] = 100 ways to save water [] = 20x2020 water conservation plan [] = water use in the California home [] = California water summary [] = California department of water resources

Or look at some of the following?

[] - waste management in hk – good links, eg tips to save the Earth, problems and solutions, etc [] oil recycling in Australia [] - good facts and figures for as typical MEDC city and what citizens can all do. [] - Friends of the Earth site with heaps of info on reducing, reusing and recycling resources. [] - “disposable planet” topic with good section on waste – lots of data and good links. [|http://www.severnside.com] – information on recycling services offered [|http://www.wastewatch.org.uk] – promoting community based recycling schemes [] [] what you can do to help [] WRAP works in partnership, helping businesses and the general public to reduce waste, to use more recycled material, and recycle.