Monday April 8: If you don't hold it, you don't own it! part one

UPDATE: THIS ASSIGNMENT IS OFFICIALLY DUE BY THE END OF CLASS ON THURSDAY APRIL 11

Greetings, and welcome back!

Today we will begin a unit on resources: who has them and what they are good for, and how they affect your day to day life

Visit these websites and answer the questions that follow. Use at least two complete sentences per questions; be sure to send your responses to me by email with your name  and the phrase " If you don't hold it, you don't own it! part one" in the subject line

            http://www.myfootprint.org/

            http://www.rprogress.org/footprint/ecolFoot.shtml

What does the Ecological Footprint measure? 

How is it calculated?

How big is your ecological footprint? 

How many Earths would we need  if everyone on Earth consumed as many resources as you do?

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Additionally, you will begin work on writing  a two-to-three-page essay (approximately 500-750 words) in reaction to what you found from calculating your footprint. You may choose to critique the methodology of the footprint calculator (either as being too conservative or too generous), or you may analyze your impact on the environment in terms of what you've learned about the concept of an ecological footprint. OR, you may choose to question the whole philosophy behind the concept of a "footprint" : perhaps its not the Earth that needs to be "bigger" but our understanding of it that needs to expand. Perhaps we don't need to consume less resources; perhaps we need to find new uses for stuff that today we don't even think of as a resource

Whatever part of this you can finish today, please send to me in an email with your name and the word "resource essay" in the subject line

cheers,

Mr. L