A resource for teaching and learning about consuming planet earth

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A SECTION A Consuming the planet Aims and overviews In this unit students will explore defi nitions of sustainability and sustainable consumption and consider the need for sustainable behaviour in their own lives, as well as in local and global communities. Key concepts Sustainability, sustainable consumption, needs and wants, consumer culture, rights and responsibilities of consumers, ecological footprint, thinking and acting globally. Learning outcomes At the end of the unit students should be able to: – demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between consumer spending and scarce natural resources by calculating their ecological footprint – explain the environmental consequences of purchasing decisions – assess their own ability to think about and infl uence the future. Background information There are many defi nitions of ‘sustainability’: ‘sustain’ originally comes from the Latin sustenare which means to ‘hold up’ or support. While there is disagreement about the extent to which the environment has been degraded and what measures should be taken to improve the situation, the following facts and fi gures demonstrate that Planet Earth is under stress and in need of support. – According to a recent EPA report, the average Victorian household needs 8.1 global hectares of land to sustain their lifestyle. If everyone on the planet lived like Victorians, we would need four Planet Earths to support us. – In 1954 an average Victorian household had only six appliances: kettle, radio, toaster, fridge, lamp and heater. By 2004, the average home had collected 30 appliances. – A recent CSIRO report shows that climate change could cut Melbourne’s water supply by 35 per cent by 2050. – Approximately 15 percent of the planet’s land has been degraded due to deforestation, overgrazing and mismanagement. – Half the world’s rivers have been seriously depleted and polluted. – Only 0.08 percent of the earth’s water is available for use and water demand has more than tripled in the past 50 years. – Oil consumption has increased sevenfold in the past 50 years. – Around 12 percent of the world’s population is in North America and Western Europe and accounts for 60 percent of household consumption. – Households in developed nations throw away up to 800 kg of waste each year compared to less than 200 kg in poorer nations. This ‘waste’ includes many goods that have simply been discarded because a new, ‘improved’ model has been released. – It has been estimated that by 2007 half the world’s population will be urban, which will increase pressure on scarce natural resources and non-renewable energy sources. Around 1.7 billion people have entered the ‘consumer class’ in recent years, according to the WorldWatch Institute, adopting the diets, transport systems, and lifestyles of the developed nations. In China, India and other developing nations, energy and resource use is rising rapidly as more people gain access to goods and services that consumers in the wealthy nations take for granted: cars, washing machines, refrigerators, computers and internet access, mobile phones and so on. consumer affairs victoria 14 Need consumer help? 1300 55 81 81 www.consumer.vic.gov.au
CONTINUED A SECTION A Consuming the planet The World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report, 2002 warned that: ‘If every human alive today consumed natural resources and emitted carbon dioxide at the same rate as the average person in the developed world, then we would need at least another two Planet Earths, if not three’. The report was based on scientifi c data from around the world. There is a need, therefore, to achieve sustainable development, which is a balance between economic prosperity and the environment to ensure a good quality of life for everyone today without damaging the planet for future generations. Governments, businesses and consumers all have a role to play in achieving that goal. Governments can, for example, encourage businesses and consumers to reduce their energy use by making energy rating labels on some appliances mandatory. Businesses continue to develop more energy effi cient appliances and consumers can encourage their production by creating a demand for them. Consumer campaigns can be very effective, for example, the growing rejection of plastic bags in supermarkets and other stores. Resources – Ecological footprint www.ecofoot.org – EPA Victoria www.epa.vic.gov.au/Eco-footprint – Energy Rating www.energyrating.gov.au – WorldWatch Institute www.worldwatch.org/ – Unesco www.unesco.org > Education > UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development – Australian Bureau of Statistics www.abs.gov.au > Statistics > Australian current population > ABS Population Clock – Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment www.dse.vic.gov.au > Interactive Maps > Biodiversity Interactive Map – United Nations www.un.org/esa/population/unpop.htm > Population estimates and projects, Data online consumer affairs victoria 15 The Age Need consumer help? 1300 55 81 81 www.consumer.vic.gov.au
Page 2 and 3: A resource for teaching and learnin
Page 4 and 5: Contents 4 Message from the Ministe
Page 6 and 7: Victorian Essential Learning Standa
Page 8 and 9: Victorian Essential Learning Standa
Page 10 and 11: Links to Victorian Certificate of A
Page 12 and 13: The Thinking Curriculum Multiple in
Page 16 and 17: ACONTINUED SECTION A Consuming the
Page 18 and 19: CONTINUED A1 World population growt
Page 20 and 21: CONTINUED A2 It’s not just number
Page 22 and 23: CONTINUED A2 It’s not just number
Page 24 and 25: CONTINUED A3 Treading lightly in th
Page 26 and 27: CONTINUED A2 Consuming the planet 1
Page 28 and 29: CONTINUED A2 A Consuming the planet
Page 30 and 31: B SECTION B Buy ‘green’, save m
Page 32 and 33: BCONTINUED SECTION B Buy ‘green
Page 34 and 35: CONTINUED B1 Calculating utility co
Page 36 and 37: CONTINUED B3 Reducing the waste Exe
Page 38 and 39: CONTINUED B3 Reducing the waste Exe
Page 40 and 41: CONTINUED B4 Making sense of energy
Page 42 and 43: CONTINUED B4 Making sense of energy
Page 44 and 45: CONTINUED B5 How sustainable is my
Page 46 and 47: CONTINUED B Buy ‘green’, save m
Page 48 and 49: C SECTION C The real cost of food A
Page 50 and 51: CONTINUED C SECTION C The real cost
Page 52 and 53: CONTINUED C1 My food footprint You
Page 54 and 55: CONTINUED C3 Water - tap or bottled
Page 56 and 57: CONTINUED C4 Exploring new options
Page 58 and 59: CONTINUED C The real cost of food 5
Page 60 and 61: D SECTION D Smarter transport optio
Page 62 and 63: DCONTINUED Smarter transport option
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CONTINUED D1 Getting around 7. Calc
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D3 Consuming fuel Exercise 1 - Labe
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DCONTINUED Smarter transport option
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ECONTINUED SECTION E A consuming cu
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CONTINUED E1 What do I want? Exerci
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CONTINUED E2 Why do I want what I w
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CONTINUED E3 What is it really goin
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CONTINUED E3 What is it really goin
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F SECTION F Wealth, consumption and
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FCONTINUED SECTION F Wealth, consum
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CONTINUED F1 Is happiness about hav
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F2 Social sustainability and proble
Page 88 and 89:
Resource book evaluation sheet Cons
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Consumer Affairs Victoria’s resou
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