SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT, RENEWABLE ENERGY
UNIT „SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT, RENEWABLE ENERGY“
This lesson addresses Sustainability, Environment and Renewable energy.
Session 1
The objective of this lesson is to raise awareness about everyday habits with an environmental impact, understanding how sustainable are the clothes we wear, how the resources we use are consumed and what we can do to protect oceans and their species. In addition also the policies addressing environmental issues in a sustainable way will be addressed. Learning outcomes: – vocabulary on environmental issues – expression of personal habits (I use to/I don’t use to) or adverbs – get to know the renewable and non-renewable resources – learn how to reduce the negative effect on environment through our actions |
Hashtags: #Level B1-B2 # Sustainability, environment, renewable energy |
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY a) What do we know about its environmental impact? Is it harmful for the environment? If yes, how? After giving space to learners to express their views and knowledge, they can have a look in at: https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/whats-wrong-with-the-fashion-industry (this source can be considered to provide some knowledge about the environmental impact of fashion industry and to prepare a more aware dialogue when replying to the questions of letter c. b) We also watch a video about the environmental impact of the fashion industry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOA0D0i5-fA OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JnC7JWIfq0 c) Is there any new information you have heard today? What was the most surprising information in the videos? How do you feel about all this? What is your approach on buying / recycling clothes? |
RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY a) Watch the Renewable and non-renewable energy video here: What have you learnt from this video? Did it give you new information? Answer to the following questions with what you learnt from the video: ● How much electricity is produced by a mobile phone while charging per year? ● Does the electricity you use pass to travel long distances? Comment on it. ● What produces more electricity? Gas or coal? And Carbon emissions? ● In which situations do we produce energy?
b) Look at the Glossary of the topic (below the video) and read every definition listed there. c) In your country where and which types of renewable energy production is present? Is there something in your region, near your home? Does your country support the establishment and operation of these companies? In your opinion what is the reason why so much of our energies are still from unsustainable (non-renewable) sources? d) Let’s look for new European and international Guidelines, including Sustainable Development Goals( https://sdgs.un.org/goals) on how to tackle climate change, reduce the use of fossil fuels and substitute with renewable energy. What are the recommendations and guidelines these policies are giving to us citizens, how can we do the most ourselves? (Let learners reflect about their own lifestyles environmental aspect) |
OCEANS AND FRESHWATER Learn about an initiative, the Save the Ocean social project: http://www.save-the-ocean.com/ or the Ocean Foundation https://oceanfdn.org/projects/ or Ocean Blue Project https://oceanblueproject.org/ Share other initiatives you are aware of that contribute to one of the following topics covered under the abovementioned initiative: protecting species, conserving habitats, removing plastics, ocean literacy. Which daily habits may you change to protect the ocean? Read the article:https://oceana.org/living-blue/10-ways-you-can-help-save-oceans. |
Session 2
The objective of this lesson is to provide how in real life the perspective of a more sustainable lifestyle is easy to realize. It wants to give some tips in that direction. Learning outcomes: – vocabulary on environmental issues – expression of personal habits (I use to/I don’t use to) or adverbs – Adjectives – get to know the resources consumed, safe food and sustainable clothes brands – learn how to contribute to the environment’s protection and sustainable development |
Hashtags: #Level B1-B2 # Sustainability, environment, renewable energy |
1. Which are the differences between the concepts of slow and fast fashion? 2. Fill in the Table: Comparison of Fast Fashion and Slow Fashion* in all its sections, trying to understand the differences between fast and slow fashion. *Source: https://sanvt.com/journal/fast-fashion-vs-slow-fashion/
3. Students do research and collect min. 3 clothes / shoes brands that they find ethical and sustainable. |
Please reflect on the questions below: ▪ Do you usually turn off the light in the kitchen when you move to another room? ▪ Do you close the water tap when you brush your teeth? ▪ Do you recycle everything at your place? ▪ Do you often cook food in the oven? ▪ Do you manage to not turn on the light at home before it gets dark? |
Activity title: Sustainable food | ||||||||
Duration: 20 minutes | ||||||||
Choose 1 icon of food that you consider safe and then you will have to match it with the below adjectives. More adjectives can be combined with one food item, so in that case choose only one option. Match one icon with one adjective. List of adjectives:
Source: https://pixabay.com/it/ |
Session 3
The objective of this lesson is to help students to become aware about the percentage of water footprint they consume, so as to reduce the negative impact of their actions on the environment. Learning outcomes: – Vocabulary on ecological footprints – Understanding the meaning of a text – To raise awareness about how to reduce water footprint |
Hashtags: #Level B1-B2 # Sustainability, environment, renewable energy |
a) Read the article: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/hidden-water-in-your-cup-of-coffee?fbclid=IwAR3Rif5-yfNRyOKmPYAVriyP7yHmtFQEjvVbhB5gI-yNfly8ZL8ZIPHfiPQ b) Fill out the following Water Footprint calculator at home and during the next class, the numbers (m3 / year) are compared. |
Session 4
The objective of this lesson is to promote some possible initiatives or actions for a sustainable human intervention in the environment and to reduce the negative consequences of climate change. Learning outcomes: – Vocabulary on ecological footprints and environmental catastrophes – Understanding the climate change consequences – To raise awareness about how to reduce climate change’s consequences – To increase the sense of human responsibility towards nature |
Hashtags: #Level B1-B2 # Sustainability, environment, renewable energy |
▪ What is your water footprint? Let’s compare your results. ▪ What did you learn from the article and the calculator? ▪ What impact did this activity have on you? ▪ Do you think you would like to be more conscious about your water footprint? ▪ If yes, how could you reduce it personally? ▪ Would you also advise your family and friends to do the same? How could you do that? |
a) After understanding our water footprint, let’s widen our horizons to our global footprint. Question to learners: Ø Do you know what Earth Overshoot Day is? When is it? What does it tell us? Ø What do you think would be needed to drastically slow down the way we consume our resources? What will happen if we won’t? b) Let’s guess which countries have the biggest Ecological Footprint? Then let’s check it from here: https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/countries/ c) What does it mean if a country has an ecological deficit or ecological reserves? Lets study which country has which https://data.footprintnetwork.org/#/? What does this tell us? Is it possible that countries that are called ‘poor’ are actually ‘rich’ and vice versa? What does this ‘dependency’ mean on other country’s resources? |
Premise: In the numerous interventions of humans on nature, we should think not only on immediate consequences, but also the indirect consequences. In fact, nature tends to re-establish a new balance in place of the pre-existing one. Which changes were caused by human intervention? Complete the sentences with the missing words: a) biodiversity, b) deforestation, c) rain, d) pollution, e) artificial canals, f) flooding downstream. Statements: After the exercise, research individually about the last 5 years of environmental catastrophes. What happened and where? Present in 1-2 minutes what you have found (Mozambique, India, or share anything you have found.) Extra discussion about the ‘injustice’ of climate change. Those countries that do little harm can actually suffer the most from environmental catastrophes. Answer to the following questions: · Can climate change cause natural disasters? · Can climate change be stopped? · If yes, how? How are plants and animals damaged by climate change? |
