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Current
Environmental Issues
Program
Area
This activity
is designed for the Grade 9 Self and Society Program.
Learning
Outcomes
Teaching,
learning and evaluation will focus on the student's ability to:
- Identify
and describe current environmental issues;
- Design
charts, graphs, brochures and posters that would visually represent
these environmental issues;
- Examine
ways of modifying lifestyles and reducing impact on our environment;
- Design
and carry out research using a student survey;
- Interpret
and report research data.
Classroom
Development
- Set
up your classroom with five stations. Equip each station with
an issue card and resources for understanding and coping with
the issue. Assign your students to work in a cooperative learning
environment and work with a station leader. Each station is
responsible for the following:
a) taking notes on the environmental issue;
b) designing a chart or graph that describes the environmental
issue; c) designing a poster or brochure that offers solutions
for the environmental issue.
- Have
the students in each station brainstorm and compile a list of
ways that they can modify their lifestyles to lessen their impact
on our environment. Their list should include lifestyle modifications
for the following:
a) at home (meal time, personal care, leisure time);
b) at school;
c) when shopping;
d) when choosing a transportation method.
- Students
then write and mail a business style letter with their lifestyle
modifications to one of the following:
a) local newspaper editor;
b) community business person or merchant; c) a large corporation
president.
- Have
students design a 10 question research survey to be used on:
a) 5 students (2 students must be from elementary school);
b) 2 teachers;
c) 3 adults within their community. Their survey should gather
information on the environmental issue from the perspective
of the students, teachers and adults being interviewed. Questions
should be composed to test knowledge and understanding of the
environmental issue. Make sure that you discuss these results
with your class. Students report back to the rest of the class
with their research findings.
Timing
Total time:
3.5 h
- 30 min-for
the students to read their issue card and examine the materials
and resources at their station;
- 40 min-for
creating the charts, graphs, brochures and posters;
- 40 min-for
writing a letter about lifestyle modifications;
- 20 min-for
designing the student survey;
- 40 min-to
survey three students and two teachers. The elementary school
students and three adults should be surveyed as homework;
- 40 min-to
report on the survey and debrief the entire assignment.
References
Allaby,
Michael. Green Facts: The Greenhouse Effect and Other Key Issues.
London,1986.
Andrews, Bill. Protecting the Ozone Layer. Toronto: D.C.
Heath, 1994
Andrews, Bill. Understanding Global Warming.
Toronto: D.C. Heath, 1995.
Bowermaster, Steger and Saving The Earth: A
Citizen's Guide to Environmental Action . New York: Knoff,
1990.
Grant,
Tim Ed. Green Teacher Magazine. 95 Robert Street, Toronto,
Ontario M5S 2K5 (416)960-1244
Spencer, Palmer and Chasty. The Green School . Toronto:
OSSTF, 1991. (416) 751-8300.
Tuer, Cindy. Good Planets Are Hard To Find: Prescriptions For
Everyday Environmental Action. Calgary: Biddell Publishing,
1989.
Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and
Development. Switzerland: Oxford, 1987.
Major
Environmental Issues
The following
are issues that have been highlighted by the media recently:
- Air
Quality
- Tropical
Rainforests
- Water
Quality
- Soil
Quality
- Resource
Conservation
- Wildlife
Conservation
- Rearing
of Domestic Animals
- Population
Impact
Brief descriptions
of these issues follow. Place these or similar descriptions on
issues cards (These can be photocopied and cut out.). A laminated
sheet of paper for each issue will preserve the card for repeated
use.
Air
Quality
Global
Warming:The temperature of our earth's atmosphere appears
to be increasing. The sun's heat is being trapped within the atmosphere
by a process termed the greenhouse effect. The burning of fossil
fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) has increased the amount of carbon
dioxide within the atmosphere. This gas and others trap infrared
radiation within the atmosphere preventing its release into space.
As a result, average world temperatures could rise as much as
4.5 degrees celsius, causing floods, droughts, and hurricanes
in areas not normally influenced by these phenomenon . Every kilometer
driven by students and teachers contributes to the build up of
carbon dioxide within the atmosphere.
Ozone
Layer Depletion:For every 1% decrease in the ozone layer,
there is an estimated 3-6% increase in the risk of developing
skin cancer. People may also become more vulnerable to a variety
of infectious diseases. Excessive ultraviolet radiation disrupts
the photosynthesis of phytoplankton (basic organisms of the ocean
food chain). CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) are the major cause of
ozone depletion. We use CFCs in the air-conditioners that cool
our homes, cars and schools. Plastics and computer chips are made
with the help of CFCs. In 1984 a "hole" in the ozone
layer was discovered over Antarctica by a British survey Team.
Tropical
Rainforests
One out
of every four purchases made at pharmacies is a product derived
from rainforest species. Many plants are harvested for medicinal
purposes. Tropical forests contain the finest hardwood timber
in the world. Rainforests play a vital role in the absorption
of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The rainforests are being
destroyed even though they contain half the world's trees and
possibly as many as 10 million species of plants and animals.
In the Amazon,
for instance, large tracks of the forest are presently being cleared
to meet the demand for wood products. The Brazilian government
has provided incentives for their people to slash, burn, and clear
areas to make room for farms. Here farmers graze beef cattle for
the fast food industry of North America. This carnage is taking
place at the rate of one football field per second. Approximately
100 000 square kilometers of Amazonian rainforest is cleared every
year; half the size of Scotland. Deforestation is a major concern
around the world.
Water
Quality
Toxic
Waters: Scientists have found over 1000 industrial pollutants
in the Great Lakes that pose health risks to wildlife and humans.
Onshore pollution threatens drinking water quality and limits
recreational use of beaches and lakes.
Acid
Precipitation: In 1986 more than 1 333 000 t of sulfur dioxide
was released by Ontario industries. Sulfur dioxide is released
from burning coal, oil and natural gas refining, and pulp and
paper production.
Disappearing
Coral Reefs: Around the world these reefs are deteriorating
under the impact of deforestation, agriculture, fishing, and chemical
pollution. Coral reefs balance ocean food chains and play an important
role in ocean ecosystems.
Soil
Quality
Soil
Degradation: The organic content of many Ontario soils has
been declining. In the past farmers have been forced to emphasize
producing maximum yields thus proper soil management was ignored.
We have relied to heavily on synthetic fertilizers, insecticides,
herbicides, and fungicides which can have negative effects on
the soil. Much of Ontario's best agricultural land can be seen
from the top of the CN Tower. Unfortunately, the higher demand
for housing has taken enormous amounts of this arable land out
of production. Much of this soil has been scraped off and sold
to garden centres. As a result, our food prices are skyrocketing
due to the fact that food must be grown further away from communities.
Resource
Conservation
According
to the Toronto Star (1991 04 22), Canadians generate more waste
per capita than people in most other developed countries. The
average household produces from 20-40 L of hazardous waste every
year (Toronto Star). Canadians comprise only 0.007% of the world's
population yet we are the highest per capita users of the world's
energy resources (Thomas, Ray. Energy Mines and Resources Canada).
The developed world makes up 25% of the world's population yet
consumes 80% of the world's resources. Every year the Canadian
forest industry clears 12 220 square kilometers of our 4 500 000
square kilometers (45% of the country) of forest. Much of the
soil left in these forested areas washes into lakes and rivers.
Presently, 10.3% or 250 000 square kilometers of Canada's previously
forested areas are now barren.
Wildlife
Conservation
Endangered
Species: In 1994, Canada's branch of the World Wildlife Fund
listed 255 species at risk in Canada as a consequence of human
activities. Hunting, chemical contamination of habitat and habitat
loss has contributed to the condition of these species. In fact,
habitat loss accounts for nearly 75% of those species listed on
the endangered species list (Steve Johnston, WWF).
Rearing
of Domestic Animals: Unnatural and possibly inhumane methods
of rearing farm animals have been developed to increase production
and decrease costs. Some of these animals are deprived of sunlight
and grazing space and are raised on drugs and chemicals. In Sweden,
an animal rights movement led by children's story writer Astrid
Lindgren has prompted government policy and a special project
that now regulates the amount of space, light and freedom farm
animals are entitled to. Many specialists are predicting that
this movement will spread to Canada.
Population
Impact
Increasing
Demands for Resources: More people means more demands for
food, energy, shelter and drinking water. Quebec's massive "James
Bay Hydroelectric Project" has opponents who believe that
the high demand for electricity from Ontario, Quebec and New York
State should not diminish the value of Cree land claims and pristine
wilderness.
Waste
Mismanagement: The average student in Ontario generates one
tonne of garbage a year, enough to produce the heat energy of
one barrel of crude oil. Secondary school students in an average
school cafeteria drink from 1000 beverage cans per week. The average
school uses half a tonne of fine paper per week (Bruce Crawford.
Recycling Coordinator for the Peel Board of Education).
Endangered
Spaces: As demonstrated in southern Ontario, speculators have
bought out productive farms to meet the needs of urban encroachment.
Habitat loss across Canada has affected many species which require
intact ecosystems to survive. Only one half of all of Canada's
ecosystems are represented in protected areas. By the end of this
millennium, we will have lost opportunities to protect ecosystems
unless action is taken now.
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