Students from around the world calculated their class mean and standard deviations for their footprints and posted them on our world map.
Do you see differences across the globe? If so, why do you think those differences exist?
Did you use the calculator to try to reduce your footprint down to the average from a citizen of another country? What changes would you have to make to lower your footprint in this way? Are you going to try and take some of these actions in your daily life?
Student Footprints >
Climate Change and Polar Ice Caps
I believe climate change is causing warmer temperatures on the polar ice caps. Because of the rising ocean temperatures, the glaciers are beginning to melt. Many animals that call the area home, like polar bears and penguins cannot live where there are no glaciers. Ice sheets in Greenland, are beginning to melt because of the rising Ocean levels and warmer water temperatures. Greenland and Iceland Glaciers contain almost 75% of the World’s fresh water supply, and together that could rise sea levels about 75 meters. The Greenland ice sheets are more in trouble, than Antarctica, which has cooler temperatures that are way below zero.
There are many things we can do to shrink are carbon footprint. One of the things that releases the most carbon dioxide emissions, is electricity. You can use lights that are better for the environment, such as LED lights. Also using Solar instead of regular electricity can be very beneficial for the environment. There are much simpler things you can do to such as making sure you turn off lights after you leave a room, or making sure you are n ot using the AC and heater unless it is absolutely necessary.
"Polar Ice." NASA. NASA, Web. 29 Sept. 2016. <http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Featur … _ice2.php>.
"Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2016. <https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/source … emissions>.
Logan, I completely agree! Climate change in our world is an important problem that can be solved in many simple ways. In addition to using LED lights and solar energy, it would helpful to try buying home grown food instead of food that has to be imported from out of the country to you. Even just buying some home grown foods can be enough to implement some change.