"Our
everyday choices and the scale of our activities are redirecting the
shape of the planet, therefore, our personal vigilance and
understanding of the far reaching impacts of our actions are vital to
effecting positive changes for the 21st century."
---from:
Earth Matters: Studies for our Global Future
Teaching Tools:
How to integrate sustainability topics in your
classroom
Teachers: The following text is background information to consider
before using the Teaching
Tools: 3 Questions Framework
.
The world we live in is one of ever increasing interdependence
between all inhabitants of the world. Our daily lifestyle choices
impact all aspects of our planet in an economic, environmental, and
social manner. Often these impacts are not discussed, and not ‘readily’
evident. Often there are ‘hidden costs’ involved in our daily
decision-making such as negatively impacting future generations we may
never meet or adversely affecting places we may never visit or live
in.
These ‘hidden costs’ of our actions can often have dire, far
reaching, negative impacts on our global world. For example, though an
item may be marked with a low price at our local store, what are the
costs when considering: importation (fuel and shipping
infrastructure), labor (quality of life for workers, worker benefits
and wages), environmental damage (waste issues, landfill and
environmental impacts of the object’s industry)?
You can begin raising and weaving these and other complex
discussions into lessons and classroom dialogue by using the Teaching
Tools: 3 Questions Framework
.
Also, the following texts and videos address the issue of the
impacts (on our local and global environment) of our everyday
choices. Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things, Affluenza and
Return from Affluenza are appropriate for 7th –12th
grade students and Beyond Malthus,: Nineteen Dimensions of
the Population Challenge we recommend for 10th – 12th
grade students.
- All selections are ‘quick reading’ background material for
teachers.
Texts and Videos:
Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things
John C. Ryan and Allen Thein Durning
Northwest Environment Watch, Seattle WA, 1997, 206-447-1880, www.northwestwatch.org
This can also be ordered from Amazon
Beyond Malthus ,: Nineteen
Dimensions of the Population Challenge
Lester R. Brown, Gary Gardner, Brian Halweil
The Worldwatch Environmental Alert Series, 1999, http://www.wwnorton.com
Linda Starke, Series Editor
W. W. Norton & Company, New York, London
ISBN: 0-393-31906-7
$13.00
Affleunza and Escape
from Affluenza (videos)
Order from Bullfrog Filsms, P.O. Box 149, Oley, PA 19547,
1-800-543-3764, www.bullfrogfilms.com
3 Basic Questions
framework
Another class activity
© Copyright 2000 - 2004 Urban Options, Inc.
The information within this web site may be reproduced freely when
proper credit is referenced. Please contact Urban Options if you wish to
publish any of the contents of this web site.
Send comments to:
Handbook Authors and Editor
Sustainability Education Handbook Introduction
Michigan’s Renewable Energy and Efficiency Success Stories
Urban Options Home Page
Website comments and problems:
WebManagement@Urbanoptions.org.
|
