Biology 20Balfour Collegiate

Mr. GullacherWinter 2008-09

Ecological Footprint Study

Date Received: ______Student Name: ______

Date Due: ______

This Project will attempt to assess your individual impact on the environment around you. We will use a variety of websites, and upon completion of each you will be asked to record data and answer any questions.

  1. RoyalSaskatchewanMuseum – Ecological Footprint Calculator
  2. Go to the following website and click the link on the link to Ecological Footprint
  3. Navigate the website, complete the exercise, record any data andanswer questions
  4. What is an ecological footprint?
    ______
  5. Why is an understanding of your ecological footprint useful?
    ______
  6. How accurate is this program? Explain.
    ______
  7. What criteria exist in this program? Explain each.
    ______
  8. My footprint was ______hectares
  9. What is a hectare?
    ______
  10. What was the breakdown? Which aspect of your life was the most sustainable? The least sustainable? Explain.
    ______
  11. In what way could you change your lifestyle that would have the greatest impact on your footprint? (hint: look at the breakdown and address you biggest contributing factor)
    ______
  12. How many planet Earth’s are needed if everyone on earth lived like you?
    ______
  13. What about Other species? Explain the problem with the above calculation.
    ______
    How much of the world do you feel should be set aside for other species? How many planet earths are needed given this natural region? ______% ______earths
  14. How does your footprint compare to other countries?
    ______
  15. What is the relationship between population and ecological footprint in the world? Explain how the apparent ‘modern lifestyle’ is unsustainable in the global sense. Hint: Who uses most? Least?
    ______
  16. What observation can you make about global population growth and productive agricultural land? Explain why this is of some concern.
    ______

  1. Ecological Footprint Quiz
  2. Complete the quiz and report on your findings
  3. How many planets are needed to support a world where everyone lived like you? How did this compare to your previous figure? Explain any discrepancy in your own words.
    ______
  4. Which biome do you impact the most? Explain.
    ______
  5. Click on ‘Reduce Your Footprint’; after looking through this section, what are the top three priorities for you?
  6. ______
  7. ______
  8. ______

  1. Zero-Footprint Kids
  2. complete the activity at this site
  3. How many Earth’s are needed to support a world where everyone lives like you? How does this compare to your previous values? Explain any discrepancies in your own words.
    ______
  4. What is the breakdown by % of the regions you use most intensely
  5. Trees: ______%
  6. Carbon: ______%
  7. Land: ______%
  8. How do these differ from the average Canadian? Explain.
    ______

  1. UBC Eco-Footprint and Sustainability Survey

  2. complete the activity and record your findings
  3. How many Earth’s are needed to support a world full of people who live like me? ______
  4. Complete the Sustainability Survey.
  5. Water Footprint
  6. Navigate the website and record any useful information you come across:

______
Conclusion

After completing this exercise, write an essay that answers the question:

“How can I reduce my impact on the environment?”

Keep the following questions in mind during your response:

  • What is an ecological footprint?
  • How reliable are these calculations?
  • What was my impact relative to other Canadians? The world?
  • What did I learn about my lifestyle?
  • What parts of my lifestyle are most wasteful?
  • What can I do to change it?
  • How committed am I to changing my lifestyle and reducing my impact?

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Evaluation Scheme:

Rubric for Web-Quest:

Criterion / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Level of Completion / Student has completed all questions. / Student has completed nearly all question (1 or 2 are partly incomplete) / Student has left large gaps in the project / Student has completed less than half of the required material.
Quality / Answers are thoughtful, thorough and include details from the web- quest. / Answers are complete and include details from the web-quest. / Some Answers are partly incomplete, and there are few details from the web-quest. / Many answers are without context and answers are superficial, with minimal analysis.
Mechanics / All answers are in complete sentences. Spelling errors are not noticeable. / All answers are in complete sentences. Spelling errors are noticeable. / Answers are not in complete sentences. Spelling errors are common.
Web-Quest Score (11)

Rubric for Conclusion:

3 / 2 / 1 / 0
Topic / Restates the problem, purpose or question clearly and where possible, in students' own words / Attempts to restate the problem, purpose or question / No attempt to restate the problem, purpose or question
Body / Statements are specific and detailed AND data is used to address the problem, purpose or question / Statements are more specific AND data is used to address the problem, purpose or question / Statement(s) are generic, brief or do not address
the problem, purpose or question / Does not contain body statements
Application / Cites appropriate applications with valid explanations / Sites applications that are superficial and or erroneous / No attempt to make connections or site applications
Mechanics / Mechanical errors are unnoticeable. Meaning is clearly conveyed. / Few mechanical errors that interfere only slightly with the meaning / Mechanical errors interfere with the meaning. Comprehension is difficult or impossible
Conclusion Score (9)

1