Teaching Earth Sciences - Earth Science Teachers' Association
Teaching Earth Sciences - Earth Science Teachers' Association
Teaching Earth Sciences - Earth Science Teachers' Association
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‘Climate Change.........Save the Planet’<br />
This is the cry we hear from those demanding action<br />
on reducing global warming. But shouldn’t it be “Save<br />
the Developed Nations’ Lifestyles” as the planet<br />
will remain even when the climate changes – it’s our<br />
standard of living that will change.<br />
As <strong>Earth</strong> Scientists should we be considering how geology<br />
and the exploitation of our <strong>Earth</strong>’s finite resources fit into<br />
this changing global human picture?<br />
If you teach <strong>Earth</strong> <strong>Science</strong> you are already interested in how<br />
the <strong>Earth</strong> is formed, how <strong>Earth</strong> systems work over time<br />
and how we explore and exploit the <strong>Earth</strong>’s resources from<br />
soil to oil. The next step could be to take this knowledge<br />
further and into the future .........<br />
• What <strong>Earth</strong> resources will be left in the future?<br />
• How sustainable are our resources?<br />
• When will they run out?<br />
• What problems will <strong>Earth</strong> Scientists be solving in 40<br />
to 50 years time.<br />
• What skills do we teach our students today to be of<br />
use in the future?<br />
These links have been put together by an ESTA member<br />
with an interest in fostering interdisciplinary approaches,<br />
who has endeavoured to select a few starting points,<br />
which may not be common knowledge in some geological<br />
circles, but that have relevance to both present and future<br />
generations. Have a look at the list, it’s compiled so that<br />
anybody interested in the how <strong>Earth</strong> <strong>Science</strong> will meet our<br />
future needs can, at no expense except their time, view<br />
some relevant material covering soil, food, peak oil and<br />
sustainability.<br />
And just to make sure you have the alternative arguments<br />
for the causes of global warming I have put in an extra<br />
website, number 8 below – an interesting geological<br />
viewpoint to promote discussion with your students.<br />
What do you think? How are we going to cope in a<br />
changing world?<br />
Let’s have a discussion, is this topic relevant to the <strong>Earth</strong><br />
<strong>Science</strong> curriculum? Environmental <strong>Science</strong> curriculum?<br />
Citizenship curriculum? Why don’t you tell us your views?<br />
Ros Todhunter<br />
ESTA Secretary<br />
36 <strong>Teaching</strong> <strong>Earth</strong> <strong><strong>Science</strong>s</strong> Vol 35 No 1 2010 www.esta-uk.net
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