Download Welcome to CSPE

Welcome to CSPE
Compiled by two CSPE teachers, this site aims to provide activities and action
projects, as well as concrete information on sustainable energy.
We hope you as teachers and students find it a useful resource. If you've any
comments e-mail [email protected].
Your Global
Footprint
What is the ozone
layer?
Why should we worry
about melting icecaps?
How do you
score
Environmentally?
See how you score on
our activities ...
Action Projects
Need some ideas for
an Action Project?
CSPE Lesson
Plans
Topics covered are
Energy and Climate
change
Think Globally,
Act Locally
We are using far too
much energy in Ireland
- find out what choices
you can make
For Teachers
This pack was developed by two CSPE teachers especially for teachers and students of CSPE. It aims to assist you
when teaching energy and environmental issues with your CSPE pupils and offers an alternative to what’s already in
the text books. We’d welcome any feedback you may have. Mail us at [email protected]
Use the fact sheets in class to highlight how we have impacted on the world we live in and how we can reduce our
negative impact by simple individual and collective actions. Why not test your students’ knowledge with our
activities? Use them in class or as homework.
The action projects section give ideas for your students' action projects
related to energy and the environment. The printable worksheets will
also help them when organising their action project. Students must write
up their action project in a Report on an Action Project (RAP) or in a
Coursework Assessment Book (CWAB), which accounts for 60% of the
Junior Certificate CSPE exam. If students keep a diary throughout the
action this will help them when they come to write up the RAP or CWAB.
An Action Project MUST:

Have a link with one of the seven CSPE concepts

Involve a genuine action

Have an involvement with people/community

Have a human rights and social responsibility dimension
Where energy fits into the CSPE Curriculum
CSPE aims to prepare students for active participatory citizenship. It does this by:

Helping them to understand the rights and responsibilities of the individual in society.

Encouraging them to develop practical skills that enable students to adopt responsible roles as individuals,
family members, citizens, workers and consumers.

Assisting them to develop a knowledge and understanding of processes taking place at all levels of society,
which lead to social, political and economic decision making.
The exploration and investigation of the issue of energy, energy conservation, renewable energy sources and how
energy use and misuse impacts on our planet can assist students in
acquiring some of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are central to the concepts of rights and responsibilities,
interdependence and stewardship as laid out in the syllabus.
CSPE Syllabus Document, 1996
Rights and Responsibilities
‘…Responsibilities go hand in hand with the rights accorded to individuals. Every person is responsible for their
actions towards other people at all levels. Irresponsibility results in self-interested or careless actions that can be
damaging to other people at all levels’
Interdependence
‘Pupils should be aware of the interrelatedness of all human life at the individual, community, national and global
levels. The actions of an individual effects, sometimes in places and situations they have never seen e.g. The effects
on economies, businesses and of the purchases we make as consumers, the effects of our votes in elections on
developments at local, national and international levels…’
Stewardship
‘Pupils should be aware that as individuals born on the planet every person becomes a temporary owner or steward
entrusted and empowered with its care and maintenance e.g. with constructive management of its finite
resources…Absence of stewardship leads to the belief that our role in relation to the natural world, the
environment…is incidental or inconsequential. This results in phenomena like unnecessary depletion of resources,
pollution of the environment…’
The investigation of energy related issues can also be related to the other four CSPE concepts i.e. Law,
Development, Democracy and Human Dignity.
For Students
Explore this pack and you'll discover how we have affected our planet by the amount of energy we use. Factsheets
have useful information and give suggestions on how we can take action on reducing our energy consumption.
We've also given you a few options for your Junior Certificate action project.
Your Global Footprint
What is the ozone layer? Why should we worry about melting ice-caps?
Action Projects
Stuck for ideas for your action project? We've given you a few suggestions that you could do when exploring and
taking action on a particular issue related to energy and the environment.
Taking Steps
Find out how you can help the environment - Taking Steps.
Worksheets
To help you with your projects we've provided worksheets for you to print off.
How do you score environmentally?
See how you score on our activities...
Factsheets
Factsheets are a means of illustrating the effects of human activities on the environment and also pointers as to
what steps you can take to make a more positive impact.
Below is a list of the factsheets available in this section:

Your Global Footprint

Taking Steps

Think Global

Unequal World
Your Global Footprint
What? Melting Ice Caps
Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the melting ice caps. The increase in CO2 in the atmosphere from the
burning of fossil fuels to run our homes, factories, and cars adds to the green house effect, which in turn causes
climate change. Warming of the atmosphere is causing the ice caps to melt.
So? The melting ice caps leads to flooding of low-lying coastal areas. For example: The US state of Louisiana is
losing one acre of land every 24minutes. Alpine Glaciers have half as much snow and ice as they did in the mid 19th
century (source: DK Essential Science, 2002).
What? Acid Rain
Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the amount of acid rain that is falling. Acid rain is made when certain
gases from power stations, factories or cars mix with rain to made a weak acid which then falls as ‘acid rain’.
So? Acid rain causes trees and planets to die. In rivers and lakes fish and other aquatic life die, buildings are
damaged and people can be affected when fisheries are affected.
What? Ozone Layer
Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the destruction of the ozone layer, which has become thinner in places,
and has actual holes in the Antarctic region. The hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica is thought to be as big as
the USA and as deep as Mount Everest! Over Europe the ozone layer is thinning as well. Perhaps as much as 10% of
the ozone shield has been destroyed. (Source: Dirty Planet – Friends of the Earth, Caroline Clayton, 2001)
So? The ozone layer stops most of the sun’s harmful ultra violet rays from reaching us, and so is essential to life on
earth. Less ozone means more skin cancers, eye diseases, damaged crops and smog pollution. The destruction of
the ozone layer has come about by man – made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), which are used for
example in fridges and air conditioning units, being released into the atmosphere.
What? Rainforests
Why? This is the name given to the type of forests that are found in a band around the equator. As a result of the
intense heat in these regions, water evaporates very quickly, which in turn causes a lot of rain, which is why the
term “rainforest” is used. The rainforest regions are to be found in South America, Africa, Asia, and the islands
around Australia. The largest is the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Our global footprint can be seen in the fact that
Tropical rainforests used to cover more than 14% of the Earth’s land area. They now cover less than 6% of the
Earth’s surface. They are being burned down for a number of reasons. Some have made way for large ranches
where cattle are reared. Some have been burned down to make way for housing, roads, and urban growth. Loggers
who cut down these trees can sell the very valuable hardwoods, like mahogany and teak, to furniture makers in rich
western countries. Mining is another activity that has led to the destruction of the rainforests.
So? Burning rainforests release massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which add to the
greenhouse gases that are responsible for climate change. These forests, in addition to soaking up mountains of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (they are sometimes referred to as “carbon sinks”), also release oxygen that we
need to breathe into the atmosphere. By destroying these forests we are leaving our planet without its most
natural defence against the build up of CO2 in the atmosphere. To make matters worse, the burning of rainforests
to make way for large cattle ranches is most harmful, as the methane gas that cows produce is in fact another
greenhouse gas, and is twenty times more destructive than CO2 in our atmosphere.
What? Creeping Deserts
Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the spread of desert regions around the world. This process is known as
desertification. This has happened because population growth has caused people to cut down trees and plants for
fuel and food. Without vegetation growth as a cover to protect soil, it blows away in the wind and the area becomes
desert. Another reason for creeping deserts is droughts. Increasing droughts are a consequence of changing rainfall
patterns that have occurred because of climate change.
So? In the African country of Niger, 250,000 hectares are being lost each year through desertification. This is
equivalent to 2,500KM2, an area about the same size as Luxembourg. (source – www.eden-foundation.org). It has
been estimated that 34% of the surface area of Africa is under the threat of desertification. (source; Professor
Michael Bernard Kwesi Darkoh, Professor of Geography, Kenyatta University). Desertification is happening on
every continent. This means less fertile land to grow food, which in turn means the possibility of more famines.
What? Storms, Hurricanes, Cyclones
Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the increase of extreme weather
patterns. Climate change is a complex phenomenon, and will not only cause more droughts but will also have the
opposite effect. “Tropical cyclones will become more intense, because the heat that gives them energy will be
available in greater supply. The result will be stronger rains, higher winds, and more vicious storm surges.” (DK
Science – Global warming).
So? Extreme weather patterns will create millions of “environmental”
refugees, people who have to move from their homelands because of the flooding and destruction caused by
cyclones, hurricanes, storms and landslides.
Taking Steps
Step this way to find out more about the way you live and how to be a better earth steward.
‘The future of the environmental movement rests on a culture of global environmental citizenship, where each and
every one of us understands his and her responsibilities’
(Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme)
What is Sustainable Living?
Sustainable living means that people living on the planet, you and me, should leave the environment in a good, or
better condition than we found it for future generations.
Why should I make a choice for a sustainable lifestyle?
At present human activity through its wasteful and inefficient use of natural resources, has the potential to cause
permanent damage to the planet making it difficult for the planet to support future societies and plant and animal
life.
While these problems are global in scale, action is being taken at all levels. For example;

By the United Nations

By the European Union

By the Irish Government

By individual Citizens
As a student of CSPE and as a responsible citizen, by your actions you can make a difference by being concerned
about sustainable energy use.
What is Sustainable Energy?
Sustainable energy use means ensuring enough energy supply for all of us, including future generations, to live and
work, while at the same time protecting the environment. This can be done by using more renewable sources of
energy, and by being more careful about energy use.
Areas of Concern for Ireland

Our total consumption of energy is rising

We have increasing emissions of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels

We have a high dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation

We have a high dependence on imported fuels like oil

We have a low use of renewable sources
CO2 is the main gas made by human activity, which contributes to climate change. CO2 arises mainly because of the
burning of fossil fuels for energy and transport needs.
You can make a positive impact to the global situation by your everyday decisions.
Be a Responsible Citizen
Be Concerned
Be Conservative in Your Energy Use
Think Global
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world: Indeed it is the only thing that ever
has."
Margaret Meade, anthropologist.
“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little”
Edmund Burke, 18th Century Irish Philosopher.
Everything we do, from turning on a light switch to eating a hamburger, has an environmental impact in Ireland or
somewhere else in the world. So how can each of us make choices that impact positively on our planet?
Save Energy use rechargeable batteries.
Did you know…Normal batteries contain toxic metals and take 50 times more energy to make than you get
out of them!
Save Energy turn the TV off when it is not in use.
Did you know…Your TV still uses lots of power if you leave it on standby? An average T.V left on standby
mode consumes 20%, or even more in older models, of their full power. Make sure all things you use at home
or in school, like computers, stereos, and play stations are properly turned off, and not left on stand-by, so YOU can
save energy
Save Energy use bottles and jars again.
Did you know…Recycling a can saves 96% of the energy it takes to make a new one from raw materials? By
reducing the amount of products that you use, you are saving energy and helping the environment.
Save energy recycle your old mobiles.
Did you know…Old mobiles thrown into landfill sites/dumps cause a problem? They contain batteries from
which poisons can leak. Organisations like Oxfam run campaigns looking for old mobiles to send to countries where
people cannot afford to buy them.
Save energy turn off the tap when washing your teeth.
Did you know…You can waste up to 5 litres of water every minute by leaving a tap running? If you are
washing your face, put the stopper in the sink. Don’t leave the tap running if you are brushing your teeth.
Save energy change your light bulbs
Did you know…That CFL light bulbs last up to ten times longer and use a fraction(20%)of the energy?
Save energy, only use the washing machine and dishwasher when they are full, or better still dry them
on a clothes line
Did you know…A machine cycle uses up to 100 litres of water? Save energy and water by only using these when
they are full. You will use less energy if you use a wash cycle at a lower temperature.
Save energy don’t fill the kettle for one mug of tea or coffee
Did you know…You waste energy and water if you fill the kettle for just one cup? Fill the cup with water first and
then put it into the kettle. For safety reasons always make sure to cover the minimum level recommended by the
manufacturer!
Save energy take a shower instead of a bath
Did you know…You are saving energy and saving water because a shower uses 70% less water than a bath?
Save energy use solar powered calculators
Did you know…Regular batteries contain toxins that are harmful to the environment and energy is needed to make
them too?
Save energy put a brick in your cistern
Did you know…1/3 of the water used by a family is flushed down the loo! If you don’t have an ultra modern
loo that has a ‘short’ and ‘long’ flush you can put a brick in the cistern and reduce the amount of water wasted with
each flush
Save energy don’t buy toys or gifts made from ‘hard wood’ like Mahogany, rosewood and teak.
Did you know…These hard woods are made from the trees of the rainforests? You can buy products that
have a label on them saying that the wood comes from forests that are properly managed or are from a ’sustainable
forest’. We need the rainforests to act as carbon sinks to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
Save energy cycle or walk when you are going on a short journey
Did you know…It takes 250 trees to absorb the carbon dioxide produced by a single family car every year? If
you cut down on car journey’s it means less petrol less CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and so less climate change.
Most car journeys are less than 5km and so are easily walked or cycled.
Save energy use recycled paper and recycle used paper, books and newspapers.
Did you know…That each tonne of recycled paper saves 15 average sized trees? We need to save trees as
they take in CO2 from the air, reducing climate change. Trees also release oxygen that we need to breathe. Use
both sides of your copy; buy books, copies, journals made from recycled paper, only photocopy or print out what
you really need from your computer.
Save energy switch off all lights when you leave a room at home and in school
Did you know…The electricity made in Ireland is mostly produced by burning fossil fuels, if you cut down on
your electricity use you will be saving energy and reducing climate change?
Save energy use your waste to feed your plants
Did you know…About 1/3 of household waste is kitchen waste. Use fruit skins, vegetable peelings, and bread
scraps and make a compost heap for the garden.
Save energy buy products that have less packaging and use a lunch box instead of tinfoil or cling film.
Did you know…Much of our rubbish comes from packaging? For example take a box of chocolates, which may have
up to 7 layers of packaging – a base, a plastic tray for the sweets, a protective layer, another plastic layer for sweets,
another protective layer and the box and lid. Think about the amount of packaging a product has the next time you
go shopping and choose a product that uses less. Buy products that are loose and have no wrapping or buy
packaging that can be recycled.
Save energy use less plastic
Did you know…There are 50 types of plastic made from non-renewable sources such as oil, coal, and natural
gas? Very little of this plastic is recycled. Food, which we eat in seconds, is wrapped in material, which lasts
hundreds of years. Empty plastic bags and plastic soft drink bottles can even be found in Antarctic and on the slopes
of Mount Everest. A lot of fizzy drink bottles are now made from a plastic called PET (polyethylene terephthalate),
which can be recycled. Do you know anywhere that recycles PET?
Unequal World - Who Uses What?
Ever thought about how energy use is divided in the world? Highly developed and industrialized countries are the
biggest energy users while the poorest countries with the highest population use the least energy and contribute
the least to world CO2 emissions.
USA
The USA is responsible for 25% of the world’s CO2 emissions yet has only 5% of the world’s
population. The USA releases on average about 40,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, per person,
per year into the atmosphere. Source – American EPA website
Ireland
Ireland only accounts for .06% of the world’s population but nonetheless it contributes to global
warming. Under the Kyoto Agreement (an international agreement to cut greenhouse
emissions) Ireland agreed that in 2010 our greenhouse emissions would be no more than 13% of
the 1998 level. However, by 1999 Ireland was already in breach of the 13% increase and could
face huge fines.
Africa
Although Africa has 12% of the world’s population it only uses 3% of the world’s energy. The
main reason for this is poverty, over 300 million people live on less than 1 euro a day.
China
China is a huge country with a fifth of the world’s population. It uses a tenth of the total world’s
energy use. China’s per capita energy consumption is only one third of the world average. The
world’s largest dam is being built in China and will provide energy in a renewable form
(hydropower) to millions of people. Unfortunately, in constructing this dam 1.13 million people
will be displaced, 2 cities and hundreds of towns and villages will be destroyed. Log on to
http://www.irn.org/programs/threeg/ for more information.
Activities
In this section you can test your knowledge of the environment by completing the:
 Environmental Scorecard
 Crossword
 Global Charter
Environmental Scorecard
How Do You Score Environmentally?
Select from the True / False radio buttons after each question and see how environmentally
aware you are.
Answers are available in the appendix to this pack
Q1. Fossil Fuels are renewable sources of energy
Q2. Electricity is a form of chemical energy
Q3. CO2 is the main Greenhouse gas produced by Human activity
Q4. The ozone layer is not essential to life on earth
Q5. We depend mostly on fossil fuels to make electricity
Q6. CFL light bulbs use more energy than ordinary light bulbs
Q7. Each tonne of recycled paper saves 15 average size trees
Q8. There are 50 types of plastic made from non-renewable sources
Q9. 10% of the energy we use in our homes is for heating
Q10. Methane is not a greenhouse gas
Q11. Climate Change may cause more storms and droughts
Q12. Leaving your TV on standby uses the same amount of energy as switching it
off
Q13. Forests act as carbon sinks to reduce CO2 in our atmosphere
Q14. The Kyoto Protocol aims to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions
Q15. Wind Power is a renewable source of energy
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
Crossword
Fill in the crossword and check your answers below.
Across
Down
2. Most of Ireland's electricity is made from this
kind of fuel. (6)
1. Putting one of these in your cistern saves water (5)
5. Global warming is causing these caps to melt
(3)
3. Using energy efficiently and renewable energy sources helps us
lead this type of lifestyle (11)
7. If you turn off this and not leave it on standby
you save energy (10)
4. We are all citizens of this village (6)
11. This animal produces methane gas (3)
6. You need an energy source to produce this (11)
12. Energy made from these sources will not run 8. Taking one of these instead of a bath saves energy (6)
out (9)
14. These forests are cleared for farming and
logging (11)
9. These gases lead to global warming (10)
16. Much of the rubbish we throw out comes
from this (9)
10. Very little of this material can be recycled (7)
18. If you use these light bulbs you save energy
(3)
13. This layer above the earth protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays (5)
19. Most of our rubbish ends up in one of these
sites (8)
14. We do this when we break down waste so it can be made into
something else (7)
20. The surroundings in which we live (11)
15. Bringing one of these to the shops save energy (3)
17. This kind of rain damages lakes and animals (4)
Crossword Answers
Global Charter
Decide on a number of simple actions you could take to make a difference to your local environment and reduce
your global footprint.
What I will do at home...
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What I will do at school...
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What I will do in my local neighbourhood...
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Lesson Plans for CSPE- Climate Change
The following four activities have been developed for CSPE students. Prior to carrying out these activities in class,
we suggest you cover the information from Climate Change Facts with your students.
The activities can be used in sequence or on their own, according to the needs of the teacher and the class.
Activities cover the following themes:

Energy usage in our everyday lives

Exploring Renewable and Non-renewable resources

World use of energy & unequal distribution

Effects of climate change on different parts of the world
Climate change facts
What is Climate Change?
Climate change refers to the phenomenon that is causing the earth to become warmer which means that our
climate and our weather systems are changing. This may sound like something vague and futuristic but in fact
climate change is a reality. Today, the earth is hotter than it has been in two thousand years:

1990s was the warmest decade

1998 was the warmest year

Snow cover is down 10% in the last 40 years
What causes it?
Most scientists now agree that human activity is largely responsible for climate change and that the choices we
make today will decide the future of our climate.

Most of the energy we use to heat our homes, for electricity and transport comes from fossil fuels such as
oil, gas and coal

When fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide which is the main greenhouse gas

Greenhouse gases cause the earth to heat up by trapping the sun's heat in the earth's atmosphere - acting
like a greenhouse
For more information - www.climate.org or www.realclimate.org
Energy in our everyday lives
Aims:

To encourage students to think about the ways in which they use energy in their everyday lives;

directly e.g. through switching on a light or turning on a kettle

indirectly e.g. through the transport of their food from other parts of the world or through manufacturing
of electronic equipment

To get students to think about ways of conserving energy
You will need:
 Energy Action Sheet 1: Energy savers
 Energy Action Sheet 2: Energy wasters
 One chair for each person in the class
To do:

Print out the 2 energy action sheets and tear each 'action' off into strips.

Place these strips in a container.

Invite participants to sit round in a circle on their chairs - make sure there is nothing on the ground in the
circle.

Invite one person to pick a strip and stand in the middle of the circle.

Remove this student's chair, so that there is one more student in the group than chairs.

Ask the person to read out the 'action' on their strip.

All the students in the class who have ALSO participated in that activity at some stage in their lives, must
change seats.

The student who is 'on' must try and reach one of the spare seats, leaving one person standing in the middle
to continue on the activity.

Continue with the activity until all strips have been used up.
Follow up:
Each positive strip has a corresponding negative strip. Ask the positives and negatives to find each other and form
teams. Following this, pose these questions for a brainstorm session with your class:
1. How is energy being used in the action both directly and indirectly?
2.
Each 'action' shows a way of wasting energy and a way of saving energy. How could some of the actions be
made more energy efficient?
Energy Action Sheet 1: Energy Savers
Change places if:
You always turn lights off when leaving a room
You always turn off the standby light on the TV
You try to buy food or clothes made in Ireland
You walk or cycle for short journeys
You only use the amount of water you will need when boiling the
kettle
You re-use your plastic bottles
You re-cycle aluminium cans
Your house or school has double-glazed windows
You turn of radiators at home or in school when rooms are not in use
You look for energy efficient electrical equipment
You reuse and recycle your paper
You make sure your clothes are washed at 40 degrees
You shower instead of taking a bath
You turn the tap off when brushing your teeth
You use reusable batteries
Energy Action Sheet 2: Energy Wasters
Change places if:
You don’t turn lights off when leaving a room
You don’t turn off the standby light on the TV
You don’t buy food or clothes made in Ireland
You take the car for short journeys
When boiling the kettle you fill it with more water than you need
You bin your plastic bottles after one use
You don’t re-cycle aluminium cans
Your house or school doesn’t have double-glazed windows
You don’t turn off radiators at home or in school when rooms are not
in use
You don’t look for energy efficient electrical equipment
You don’t reuse and recycle your paper
You don’t make sure your clothes are washed at 40 degrees
You take a bath instead of a shower
You leave the tap running when brushing your teeth
You don’t use reusable batteries
Exploring Renewable and Non-renewable resources
Aims:

To demonstrate that non-renewable energy such as oil, coal, gas and peat are finite and will run out at some
stage in the future

To show that renewable energy such as wind, solar, biomass and hydro are alternative, clean options.
You will need:

Radio / CD player

A4 size pictures of the oil rig- one of each picture for each student

A4 size pictures of the wind turbine and solar panels , enough for the total number of students in the class
To do:

Make a large clear space in the classroom. This game runs in the same way as musical chairs, except instead
of chairs students stand on their picture of the oil rig.

The game starts in the year 2009. There is enough oil for everyone in the class to have their share.

When the music commences the teacher should remove a few of the pictures of the oil rig. The next time
the music stops, we will be in the year 2015, and there will be less oil. Students who aren't standing on an oil
rig will have to sit down.

Stop the music as appropriate every 5 or 10 years, in between each stop remove 2 or 3 oil rigs.

As individuals sit down hand each person a renewable resource card (wind or solar).

The game finishes when there is only one person left standing on one oilrig and the rest of the class have
renewable resource cards.
Follow up:
Ask the class to think about:

The real world basis for this game - how realistic is conflict in a world of resources that are going to run out?

How important is energy efficiency?

What did this activity demonstrate about renewable and non-renewable energy?

How important do the class think renewable fuel will be in the future?
Suggested answers:

Over dependence on fossil fuels for production of energy

Possible environmental conflicts in the future over depleting resources

Importance of the switch to renewable fuels
World use of energy & unequal distribution
Aims:
 To show the disparity in energy use and population between the developed and the 'developing world'.
You will need:
 5 x A3 blank sheets
 Marker
 Chair for each person
This activity is based on a class of 30 students but can be adapted for larger or smaller numbers.
To do:

Make a large clear space in the classroom.

Write the name of each continent on each A3 sheet (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America)
and place these around the classroom.

Explain to the class that there are 5 continents on the planet and each uses energy very differently.

The class represents all the people currently on the planet and the chairs represent all the energy resources
currently on the planet.
As a class, they must decide on:

Population - on the basis of their class size, what proportion of people in the class would represent the
population of each continent?

Hints for the teacher to ask: Would Africa have more people than Asia? Would Europe have more people
than North America?

Energy use - using their chairs, what proportion of chairs would represent the amount of energy each
continent uses.

Once the class has discussed the above, ask them to move, with their chairs to appropriate parts of the
room.
Below are the answers based on a class of 30.
Continent
Population
Energy/ Wealth
Africa
3
2
Asia
17
4
Europe
6
14
Latin America
2
1
North America
2
9
Total
30
30
Follow up:
Some questions to ask the class:

Is this distribution of energy resources fair?

Why are energy resources distributed this way?

What effect does the western world's reliance on energy have on the planet?

Is it affecting the climate throughout the world? See Effects of Climate Change on different parts of the
world .
Effects of climate change on different parts of the world
Aims:

To show the relationship between climate change and rising sea levels. This activity shows how long term
increases in the earth's temperature from use of fossil fuels, could force some coastal communities to
abandon their homes forever.
You will need:
 A small aquarium or plastic basin
 A large rock
 A large block of ice or a number of ice cubes
 A wax crayon or black permanent marker
 A small token - lightweight, could be made out of paper
To do:

Place the rock in the basin and fill the basin with tap water to cover approximately two thirds of the rock.
This represents an island.

Place the token on top of the rock. This represents a community of people living on the island. You may
elaborate on the community by imagining, for example, that it is a fishing community that relies on boats
and a harbour for its main income.

Place the ice cubes or large piece of ice into the basin.

Mark the level of the water on the rock with the marker or pencil.

Students should make some predictions about what the outcome of the investigation might be.

The class can return to the basin at the end of a double class or the following day.
Follow up:
Ask the class to discuss the following:

What would cause ice caps to melt?

What positive steps could the community, and countries worldwide, take to prevent rising sea levels?

Look at a map of the world and identify low-lying areas that could be at high risk of flooding as a result of
climate change.
This investigation illustrates what scientist predict may happen to low lying communities if climate change, as a
result of an accumulation of too much CO2 in the earth's atmosphere, causes the polar ice caps to melt.
In this investigation, the water level in the basin rose as the ice melted and you may have found that the island
community ended up floating and the rock became submerged
Appendix 1 – Images
OIL RIG
SOLAR PANELS
WIND TURBINE