Activity 7 plan:
Create an Ecological footprint calculator
- students will get acquainted with the concept of ecological footprint and the reasons for its measurement of
- by applying the Global Footprint Network calculator , they will check their own impact on four categories of life: nutrition, travel, purchase of various necessities and households, thus raising awareness and quantification of their own impact on natural resources
- will create an Ecological footprint calculator (it will prepare at least 10 questions or statements related to the corresponding area of the ecological footprint with answers and points, and a creative description for the three default points categories through a shared Word document and ultimately systematize the prepared content and display them in the appropriate form through Google Forms)
- will apply the created calculator and calculate its own ecological footprint (sharing the link of the created Ecological Footprint Calculator)
- based on individual results, teachers will calculate the common ecological footprint and, through a joint presentation made in MS PowerPoint, will present the development and results of the application of the ecological print calculator
Estimated time period:
Provided online tools:
- MS Word (writing questions, answers, and category descriptions) - A shared document for each school
- Google Forms (creating Ecological footprint calculators)
- MS PowerPoint (create a presentation)
- Task - We get to know the concept of ecological footprint and the reasons for its measurement
The students will study the prepared content.
What is an ecological footprint and why do we measure it?
There are a number of definitions. We will try to be as clear and concrete as possible and instead of definitions provide a few picturesque explanations:
- measures of human requirements towards the ecosystem of the Earth,
- our relationship to nature,
- a measure showing how much each of us, individually, needs areas to meet our needs in food, housing, energy, transport or waste disposal,
- a measure comparing the demand for the resources of individuals, governments and businesses with the Earth's capacity for biological regeneration,
- a quantitative measure that shows how much countries, regions, cities, even individuals create pressure and consume the planet and how much this pressure crosses the boundaries of sustainability.
It's an ecological footprint. ecological footprint), the simplest described, a measure of human influence on natural resources. It shows the relationship between the demands of man and his economic activities on a biologically productive area and the earth's regenerative abilities.
The ecological footprint assesses whether our way of life is truly sustainable for our everyday needs such as: the production (and transport) of fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, etc., the use of fossil fuels with high carbon(IV) oxide emissions and the necessary space for the construction of buildings and roads.
The International Research Organization Global Footprint Network (GFN),, measuring the effects of the ecological footprint that humans leave on Earth, has calculated that we use resources as if we were living on 1.75 planets rather than one (Humanity's overall ecological footprint is thought to be more than 50% of Earth's capacity. According to the above data, for the needs of humans, another planet is already needed for life).
Each of us has our own ecological footprint.
Before we start making an Ecological footprint calculator, each of us will calculate our own ecological footprint.
2. Task - We calculate our own ecological footprint
The students will study the prepared content and calculate their own ecological footprint.
What's your Ecological footprint?
The ecological footprint is measurable and can be calculated. The Global Footprint Network has its own calculator and refers to examining our impact on four categories of life: nutrition, travel, purchase of various necessities and household:
Calculate your Ecological footprint on the link Footprintcalculator.org .
Both biocapacity and ecological footprint are expressed by a common unit called a global hectare (gha). It is a unit to measure our demands on earth (ecological footprint) and the Earth's ability to meet them (biocapacity).
The high Ecological footprint of the individual, is a cause for concern and taking certain steps.
According to the Global Footprint Network, all countries in our region live above their natural capacities, which means that they have already spent resources and live on ecological debt. With the world's population reaching 9.6 billion inhabitants by 2050 and nearly 11 billion by 2100, biocapacity for each inhabitant of the Earth will still decrease and it will be a real challenge to maintain its level given the decrease in land quality, scarcity of drinking water and increased energy costs.
3. Task - Making an Ecological footprint calculator
Following the instructions (steps 1 to 4), the students will create an Ecological footprint calculator.
- We will divide into groups and each group will take over one of the areas of ecological footprint: nutrition, transport, energy, waste, infrastructure, household, water and forest.
- Vukovar High School - Nutrition
- Technical School Karlovac - transport
- Industrial Engineering School Zagreb - Energy and Waste
- Yunus Emre Bingol - Infrastructure and Household
- Karmirgyugh N1 secondary school - water and forest
2. Each group will prepare at least 10 questions or statements for all other participants, which will be related to their area of ecological footprint. When creating questions/statements related to ecological footprint, it is important that they can be evaluated with points from 1 to 5.
Example question: (nutrition)
How often do you eat products of animal origin?
Example of responses and scoring answers:
Never - 1 point
Rare – 2 points
Occasionally - 3 points
Common - 4 points
Daily - 5 points
Example statement: (infrastructure and household)
Which of the following statements best suits the time you spend daily online (online)?
Example of scoring statements:
I spend less than 1 hour - 1 point a day online
I spend between 1-3 hours - 2 points a day online
I spend between 3-5 hours a day online – 3 points
I spend between 5 -7 hours - 4 points a day online
I spend more than 7 hours - 5 points a day online
The total number of points will show what our ecological footprint is. The higher the sum in the end, the larger the Ecological footprint, so the more devastating the result.
4. Task Each group will prepare a creative description for three given points categories with 10 questions/statements in addition to their area of ecological footprint. The three default categories are the same for all areas (nutrition, transport, energy, waste, infrastructure, household, water and forest), the same!
Three default categories:
Eco - reckless
Eco - interested
Eco - aware
Example: (transport)
For the category "Eco-reckless": It's time to think. Many people are concerned about the environment, but a small number of them behave responsibly. You certainly don't want to be in a group of environmentally irresponsible road users, so think about the ways to get to school that least affect air pollution, climate change and people's lives in general.
For the category "Eco - interested": Your environmental behavior shows that you are interested in reducing your own Ecological footprint. By cycling or walking, instead of using public transport, you will definitely contribute to the development of environmental sustainability. I'm sure you can think of some other environmental transportation options!
For the category "Eco-conscious" You know your ecological footprint well and invest energy and efforts to maintain a friendly relationship with nature. Use your influence and encourage others to walk and ride a bike, spread your knowledge because you are a prime example of an environmentally responsible road user.
5. Task - After each school creates questions/statements and related scoring answers and descriptions for three given points categories (Eco - Reckless, Eco - Interested, Eco - Aware) of its ecological footprint area, we approach the creation of the Ecological Footprint Calculator in online form.
We'll form a mixed group.
Each school will select 1 or 2 students who, together with other members of the group, will create a Calculator in the Google form. During the group work of members from all schools, the involvement of teachers is expected to help with advice and knowledge in creating the Calculator.
Form for enrollment of students and teachers from schools, project partners, interested in working on the task in a mixed group: Mixed group
6. Task - Apply the created calculator
After the Calculator is created and available to everyone, everyone will be able to calculate the ecological footprint for themselves and the joint results of all students and teachers in the project, will give us feedback on our common ecological footprint on the basis of which we will direct the further course of project activities.
7. Task - presenting the results of the application of the made ecological calculator
Based on individual results, teachers will calculate the common ecological footprint and, through a joint presentation, will present the development and results of the application of the ecological imprint calculator. All interested teachers of schools involved in the project will participate in the preparation of the presentation.
Through the active participation and mutual cooperation of students and teachers, during this activity, we will get acquainted with the relationships between modern man and natural resources. The acquisition of new knowledge and their practical application encourages the environmental awareness of each project member as well as an understanding of their own contribution to sustainable development.