Procedures

  1. Global environmental sustainability priorities

Read the introductions to the United Nations Environmental Program’s six priorities:

  1. Climate change
  2. Disasters and conflicts
  3. Ecosystems management
  4. Environmental governance
  5. Hazardous substances
  6. Resource efficiency
  • In your own words, write a brief (no more than 1-2 sentences) description of each issue.
  • How do these issues compare and contrast with the issues theEnvironmental Protection Agencyidentifies as important environmental concerns in the United States?
  • Based on what you already know, which priorites do you thinkare most important for the world to address? Why do you think so?
  1. How can communities address global environmental concerns?

Below are the stories of several Peace Corps Volunteers who are working with communities on environmental issues.

For each issue, consider how it relates to your own community. Then view the Peace Corps Volunteer story for a specific example of how a community worked to address the issue.

Issue: Species Conservation

Find an endangered species that lives in your state using theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Program’s website. Search for the species on theNatureServe websiteand read about its conservation status.

What are some possible reasons the species is endangered?

View the slide showTracking Turtles in the Western Pacific.

Which actions the community usedcould help protect endangered species where you live?

Issue: Waste Production and Disposal

Review the Environmental Protection Agency'sstatistics on municipal waste productionin the United States.

What trends do you notice in the amount and types of waste Americans generate each year?

ViewBottle Construction ‘How-to’to learn how communities in Guatemala are creatively reusing waste materials.

What are some ways you could reuse waste materials in your community? Visit the EPA'sWhat You Can Dopage forideas.

Issue: Climate Change and Energy Use

Renewable energies like solar, wind, and hydropower can provide alternatives to burning fossil fuels, which scientists largely agree contribute to global climate change. Look at theclimate change map.

What are the effects nearest to where you live?

View the slide show from Costa Rica,Sustained by the Sun.

How do you think communities can benefit from renewable energy projects in the short-term and the long-term?

  1. Identifying issues of community concern

View the slide show below to learn how youth in Costa Rica identified environmental issues to address in their communities.

Alliance of Environmental Leadersby Brittany Johnson, Costa Rica (2008-2011)

  • What were some of the main issues the youth identified in Costa Rica? Do we experience any of these issues in the United States?
  • Why do you think there were regional differences in terms of the most pressing issues they identified? What kinds of regional differences would you expect in the United States?
  1. Conclusion

Reflect on your experience by writing about or discussing:

  • How do human activities affect the environment, and how does environmental change affect human activities?
  • What are the world’s most pressing environmental issues and why?
  • How can you help address environmental concerns locally and globally?