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Framework
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Topic outline
Click the linked topics below for additional
resources
| Human
Systems |
| 1. Human well-being and environmental
quality |
a. Interdependence
b. Sustainability |
| 2. Consumption and natural resources |
a. Population -
world population,
exponential growth,
birth/death rate,
age
structure, migration,
historical patterns |
| 3. Effects of natural resource
consumption |
a. Social development - affluence,
health,
culture, economic growth
b. Resource distribution - food/water
distribution, nourishment, wealth gap
c. Waste - reduce, reuse,
recycle, refuse;
toxic waste; pollution
d. Cultural diversity threats
e. Variability - socioeconomic status, race,
culture, ethnicity, etc. |
| 4. Addressing effects |
a. Education -
empowerment of women,
needs hierarchy
b. Political action -
laws,
lobbying,
environmental justice
c. Ecomanagement - trail building,
recycling,
ecosystem restoration
d. Legal action - lawsuits, law enforcement
e. Lifestyle choices - ecological footprint,
consumer choices
f. Community involvement -
service learning,
ecomunicipalities |
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RESOURCES
| Effects of natural resource consumption - Waste |
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Garbology (activity)
Source: Facing
the Future
Web site (free download)
Students first analyze typical
contents of a North American trash can in order to define
"luxury" and "necessity" for themselves. They read a short
article about trash typically found in a modern dump in North
America. Using information from this reading, students will draw
conclusions about how these artifacts reflect the lifestyle of
those who used and disposed of the items. |
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It's a Dirty Job (activity)
Source: Facing the Future
Web site (free download)
Students take on perspectives of
different stakeholder groups involved in determining how to deal
with a community’s growing trash. Stakeholder groups are
encouraged to form alliances in order to reach consensus on the
plan that will be best for the community. |
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Timberline Trail Landfill Field Trip
Location: Bruce, WI
Web site (about energy production)
Contact Trevor Wilson (715-868-7000) for a landfill tour. The
presentation begins in the conference center then participants
tour the landfill and the gas-to-energy plant which produces
enough electricity to run 4,660 homes. The natural byproduct of
the residential waste landfills, methane gas, is the fuel used
to generate the renewable energy. |
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Waste Audit (activity)
Source:
Pamela Hansen,
Whitehall School District
Activity Introduction (MS Word)
Teacher Alert (MS Word)
Sign in Sheet (MS Word)
Waste Audit Worksheet (MS Word)
Students carry around a
garbage bag for an entire week (must be on their person at all
feasible times). Every bit of waste they produce goes in the
bag. This has also been adapted to include a second bag for
recyclables (bottles, cans, etc.). If they don't carry the
second bag, they have to separate recyclables at end of week.
Follow with a questionnaire and discussion. See introduction,
information for other teachers, and final questionnaire above. |
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Waste, Recycling, Landfill Resources and Lessons
(web site)
Source: Waste Management
http://www.thinkgreen.com/teachers
The Waste Management
web site features many resources for teaching about waste. Find
diagrams, videos, and handouts on topics such as anatomy of a
landfill, groundwater wells, bioremediation, converting landfill
gas to energy, recycling. |
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