Workbook 20

Activity 1: What Can I do?

Get Focused

More than six billion people live on Earth right now, and the human population is increasing every day. The planet is struggling to host so many humans and the interactions we have with the environment. As the production and consumption of natural resources increases, so do the demands we place on the environment.

Have you ever wondered how much negative or positive impact you, as an individual, have on the environment? This impact is often called your ecological footprint.

ecological footprint: each human's impact on the environment; based on each individual's demands for land and resources and the ability for Earth to regenerate those resources

 Vocabulary

Retrieve your Issues for Canadians Definitions handout.

Add the term ecological footprint. Add your own definition, and include images to help you to understand the concept.

Save your updated handout to your Activities folder.

The ecological footprint is one way to gauge how we impact the environment's ability to regenerate. In general, Canadians are accustomed to a standard of living that has such an impact.


Consider your ecological footprint while you read the cartoon, "Are you a Teenage GHG Emitter?" found on pages 318 and 319 of your textbook, Issues for Canadians.

In your notes, answer each question in the reading as you consider the amount of GHGs you emit.

Save your notes to your Activities folder.


In this activity, you will investigate this question:

As a citizen of Canada, what can I do to make a difference?

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