Exchange program  Walburg college, Zwijndrecht - Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium, Norderstedt

                       Project: "our ecological footprint"

Wednesday, 21th of Sept. 2011  

The ‘ecological footprint’ is a measure of the amount of land required to support the lifestyle of an individual or country. It is calculated as the total of the different land use types (built up areas, grazing and crop land, managed forest land, energy land and fishing grounds) required for production and consumption of goods and services .
Ecological footprints are expressed in hectares per person. The larger the ecological footprint, the more resources needed to sustain an individual's current lifestyle.

image: http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/

tasks for today:

1. Listen carefully to the information on the "ecological footprint" presented by Kathalina, Lasse und Till. Ask questions!

2. Try to determine your personal ecological footprint by using one of the calculators! (every dutch/german couple works with one computer)

Links: 

• Global footprint network: Footprint calculator (by WWF Switzerland) (english)

• mehrere österreichische Footprintrechner (german)

• WWF footprint calculator (english)

• Ecological Footprint Quiz (the center of sustainable economy ) (english)

• BioRegional: Calculate your impact. After calculating your impact you'll get a personalized Action Plan packed with practical things you can do to achieve One Planet Living. Included are links to useful information and products that will make it easier for you to shrink your footprint. (english)

Now, change room to arts classroom!

3. Form new groups each consisting of two dutch/german couples and then discuss your results.

                   for example speek about:

• What does "quality of life" means to me / to us?

• Is my /our ecological footprint acceptable or does it have to be reduced ....... and when, why?

• What possibilities do you /do we have to reduce the ecological footprint, we leave on earth.

• make concrete suggestions, how to reduce your footprint by changing your consuming, eating and drinking behaviors, your style of mobility and your living habits at home!

4. Design a poster for a campaign informing other students about "the ecological footprint"!

5. Present your poster to the other students ............. and the teachers.

further interesting links on the ecological footprint:

• Humanity's egolocical footprint and biocapacity 2005 (Excel)

• Interview mit Mathis Wackernagel: Die Idee des ökologischen Fußabdrucks (german)

• The Ecological Footprint Atlas - 2010 (Global Footprint Network) (english)

• De kleine aarde - duurzamen denken en doen (dutch)

• infographics library on Flickr (by bestfootforward.com) (english)

• Global Footprint Network  (english)

• gut ist auch: Umweltwissen: Der Ökologische Fußabdruck (Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt (german)

gclasen, 19th. Sept. 2011