Summary

1
Summary

• What will happen when the Earth is no longer able
  to support human life? In this case students
  attempt to solve this problem by determining what
  elements would be necessary to build an entirely
  self-sustaining closed system modeled on Earth.
  They also look at ways of preventing this
  circumstance by examining their own ecological
  footprint and finding ways they can reduce their
  impact on the environment.

2
Learning Objectives

• 1. Define sustainability and carrying capacity
  and relate these
• terms to one another.
• 2. Describe what components are necessary to
  create a self
• sustaining environment that can support
  human life.
• 3. Explain how personal material use impacts the
  environment.
• 4. Calculate their own ecological footprint
  based on their personal
• material use.
• 5. Demonstrate proficiency in compiling and
  analyzing data using
• Microsoft Excel.
• 6. Propose realistic ways in which they might
  reduce their
• ecological footprint.

3
Case Scene 1

• Its The End Of The World (As We Know It)

4
Case Scene 1

• Earth has exceeded its carrying capacity.
  In a matter of months all natural resources will
  be exhausted and the planet will no longer be
  capable of supporting life. As part of a team of
  top-notch scientists, your government has tasked
  you to design an enclosed, self-sustaining
  ecosystem that will be used to support human life
  once the Earths resources are gone.
• This must be a closed system in terms of
  matter, with solar energy as the only external
  input. There are no limitations concerning space,
  building materials, and cost. This is a critical
  endeavor to save the human race.

5
Facilitation Questions

• 1.) How did we reach carrying capacity?
• 2.) How would we know if we reached carrying
  capacity?
• 3.) What things do we need in our environment to
  keep us alive?
• 4.) What things do we want in our environment to
  keep us happy?
• 5.) What sort of materials/components are present
  in the Earths biosphere? How would you generate
  or maintain them in a closed system?
• 6.) What challenges would people face in your
  system? What would you have to give up?
• 7.) What sort of food should the system produce?
  How?
• 8.) How would the system provide clean water and
  air?
• 9.) How would human use impact the system over
  time?

6
Case Scene 2

• Dr. Hoffman, one of the scientists from the
  group, was frustrated. I dont know what were
  going
• to do about the Earths problems, he said. All
  of our attempts to build a new biosphere have
  failed,
• and at the rate were consuming goods we cant
  survive much longer.
• We cant give up yet, said Dr. Jenkins, trying
  to rally some enthusiasm. If we arent able
  build a
• new biosphere, maybe we can find a way to save
  the one we have.
• Dr. Mitchell was skeptical. How would we do
  that? Right now were consuming so many natural
• resources and reproducing so quickly that it
  would take more than one and a half Earths to
  provide for
• our entire population. Theres no way to save
  Earth unless we build a second one!
• No, dont you see? Dr. Jenkins said. Dr.
  Hoffman already gave us the answer
  sustainability.
• I never said anything about sustainability, Dr.
  Hoffman said.

7
Case Scene 2

• Yes you did, Dr. Jenkins said. You said we
  cant survive much longer at
• the rate were consuming goods. We need to reduce
  what we consume so
• that just one Earth can support us. Thats
  sustainability. If were all
• consuming less, the carrying capacity of the
  Earth will go up and well be
• able to stay here without a second biosphere!
• But how do we do that? asked Dr. Mitchell.
• Dr. Jones had remained quiet up until this point,
  preferring to let her
• colleagues reduce their frustration through
  argument before deciding what
• steps to take next. Now she has something to say
  
• I know all about sustainability, and how to go
  about achieving it. We all
• need to start by reducing our ecological
  footprint.

8
Facilitation Questions

• 1.) How does sustainability relate to carrying
  capacity?
• 2.) What does it mean to say we are consuming one
  and a half Earths worth of goods?
• 3.) What human activities hurt the environment?
• 4.) Are any human activities good for the
  environment?
• 5.) What is a persons ecological footprint?

9
CREATE A GRAPH

• GRAPH