Y6 Geography Ecological Footprint Assignment 2

What is your ecological footprint?

Each day we use energy resources. Every time we choose to:

a) turn on a computer and play games
b) ride or travel in a car, a bus, a subway, a plane
c) drink a sweetened beverage
d) eat beef and other meat products
e) use an air-conditioner rather than open a window
f) buy over-packaged products
g) throw away paper, plastic, aluminum and glass
h) take a shower or brush our teeth
i) flush a toilet or wash our clothes
j) charge a cellular phone or throw away a battery

We place demands on the Earth and affect its animal, marine and plant life. We can either choose to ignore or acknowledge the effects.

1. Think about the above list. Write one paragraph (including an introductory sentence, 5 body sentences, and a conclusion sentence.)

Questions and Exercises:
1. What 8 energy resources are used on a daily basis? List them.
2. What do human beings contribute (give) to the Earth?
3. Review the 10 actions listed above. Put a (√) check beside the ones that are not important to you. Put an (X) beside the ones not very important.
4. Select one you chose as important and write why is special to you.
5. Select one you chose as unimportant and explain why?

Your task:
1. Use the above notes for your research.
2. Use a search engine to locate the site Ecological Footprints. How did you find it? If you can’t, key in www.myfootprint.org
3. Click on “ENTER” (next to country flags and languages)
4. Read the first paragraph and answer these questions:
a) What does this quiz estimate?

b) How is your ecological footprint measured?

c) How many consumption categories define it?

d) List the four categories:

e) What four ecosystem types (biomes) are effected? List them.

f) How are Consumption Category and Biomes similar?

g) How many global hectares are available per person on a renewable basis?

h) What do you think this means?

i) How many Earths do you think we need to sustain our daily needs?


5. Take the quiz. Record the steps and the choices you selected.
NOTE: It is okay to “estimate” your family income.

6. Type in your school email address. We will review the results next class.

7. Write a 100 word (half a page) reflection about this website. What did you like? What did you learn? Record this in your math/science notebook.

8. Now what is choice to do with this paper (handout)?



There are only 15.71 global hectares available per person on a renewable basis. This means we are overshooting the Earth's biological capacity by nearly 50%. To sustain present levels of consumption, we would need: ONE AND A HALF EARTHS!




Final Task: Type the above notes in essay format on A1 paper. Due date: Feb 22nd.



Note: This is an Application assignment weighted 30% Geography Term 2.
Late assignments will be accepted one day after due date and can only achieve a C.

thx miss