6.2.2 Environmental Footprint Discussion

6.2.2 Environmental Footprint Discussion

How does globalization affect the environment?

Unequal wealth, unequal consumption, unequal pollution: As you learned in the previous unit, a great deal of inequality exists in the world. Resources are located unequally; the ability to generate income is unequal; the consumption of goods and services, including the consumption of energy, is unequal.

People in the developed world are wealthier than people in the developing world are. Do their activities harm the environment more?


What is your ecological footprint? An ecological footprint is the amount of land area required to meet the resource needs and waste needs of an individual. In other words, your ecological footprint is how much you need personally to live the way you do. What is your ecological footprint?

	Take the survey: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/ Note: If you need to convert the size of your house from square feet to square metres, and the fuel efficiency of your car from miles per gallon to litres per 100 kilometres, you may do so here.
How much space do you take? Is the way you live sustainable? Compare your ecological footprint to that of someone from the developing world. Go back to the My Footprint site and complete the quiz from the perspective of someone from Africa. Remember, on average, a person in Africa lives in an urban centre in a small house with a large family with no running water or electricity, eats little to no meat or processed foods, and walks instead of drives.
	In the 6.2.2 Discussion on the next page, answer the following questions: What was your ecological footprint? If everyone lived like you do, how many worlds would we need? Did anything surprise you about your ecological footprint? According to your ecological footprint, does the way you live lead to a sustainable future for all?
	You will be evaluated according to the discussions rubric.