Plan
- What day-to-day activities do you think produces carbon?
- Why do you think carbon is bad for the planet, and is it being tracked?
- Why is it important to track our carbon footprint?
Do
- To start off, your group will identify why and discuss the importance of carbon footprints, and carbon tracking.
- Using the link provided, have someone read through the questions asked in the Footprint Calculator.
- Every time you have a carbon-heavy answer (see materials list), collect a ball from the centre of the circle. The more balls means the more carbon being produced/created in your day-to-day life.
- At the end, count how many balls you have collected, and come up with an idea about how your can reduce this number.
Review
- What parts of this activity surprised you? Were you expecting all these parts to contribute to carbon?
- Which part of your life (food, travel, housing) do you think would have the biggest impact on your footprint if you were to make it more sustainable?
- Did you enjoy the activity? How did it feel to have to go collect the balls from the centre?
-
Remember to submit your activities on our Scouts for Sustainability Take Action Map
Materials
Collect a ball or bean bag for the following answers (based on https://www.footprintcalculator.org/) – some questions do not apply to youth, so an average answer can be used. Do not collect a ball.
- How often do you eat animal-based projects: often or very often?
- How much of the food that you eat is unprocessed, unpackaged or locally grown: less than 25%?
- Which housing type best describes your home: freestanding with running water, luxury condo?
- Do you have electricity: yes?
- How energy efficient – hardly, average?
- What percentage of your home’s electricity comes from renewable resources: less than 20%?
- Compared to your neighbours, how much trash do you generate: more, much more?
- How far do you travel each week: more than 200km by car, 25km by motorcycle?
- How many hours do you fly each year: more than 10?
Keep it Simple
If you do not have time for the full activity, talk about what a carbon footprint is and then calculate your own footprint when you get home.
Take it Further
Complete the full test, with details, and then create a plan for reducing your impact. How many Earths are required to meet your current needs? Your needs should be less than one Earth to avoid a negative impact, but this is very uncommon.
